Swan Song
by jkaso
Summary: All Adam wanted was a break from his fame as the new British pop sensation. All Kurt ever wanted was to experience love before his time ran out.
1. Chapter 1

**PLEASE READ: This story has been re-written (completely) as of March. I just had to. **Because I'm just like that...sorry! But hope you enjoy this one :)

**A/N: This story will be long. And its aim is to give its readers fluff overdose and then make 90% of the readers cry. (No joke) So for those of you who just can't and don't do sad things...well... but otherwise, hope you all enjoy it. I really do adore Kadam :)**

* * *

It was raining again.

Not at all surprising considering how the weather had been lately in Lima, Ohio. But Kurt didn't mind it. If anything, he preferred it, because on days like these, he would sit by the window and listen to the pattering of droplets against the glass for hours on end. It helped him to stop thinking.

He didn't even know how long he had been listening, but he did hear the familiar sound of his father's car pull into the driveway. And then the front door opening. And then finally the heavy thumping of his father's footsteps. Kurt pushed himself off the chair and made his way into the living room, where his father was cursing the weather under his breath.

"Hey kiddo," Burt greeted as soon as he saw his son. Kurt smiled in response and beelined to the kitchen counter, to where his father promptly followed.

"Is everyone else coming late?" Kurt asked quietly, leaning against the countertop, idly drawing patterns on the surface with his fingertip.

"Carol has a night shift today. Finn texted to say he has plans for the evening. It's just you and me, kid."

"Cool. So should I just get started on dinner?"

"Let me fix something up today. You've been doing all the cooking lately."

"You know I don't mind."

"Nah, I think it's my turn. So what do you want for dinner?"

"Pizza?" Kurt replied with a playful grin, earning a chastising look from his father.

"Kurt..."

"I know, I know, I was just kidding. Don't we have some frozen salmon left? Something with that sounds nice."

"Great. Let me just go get comfy and I'll get to it. You go and get some rest."

"Dad," Kurt began with a slightly warning tone, furrowing his brows. "I've been resting the whole day."

"I'm sorry, kid. It's just-"

"I know. I'll just...be in my room."

"Alright. I'll call you when I'm done."

Kurt returned to his room and plopped onto the bed. He rolled over to his side and stared at the pill bottles arranged in a neat row on the nightstand. They were always there, despite how much he wished he didn't have too see them, always reminding him, sometimes mocking him. Kurt closed his eyes and sighed deeply before reaching for his remote. He was going to have to resort to distraction by TV if he was going to keep himself from tearing up again.

After idly flipping through a few channels and coming up empty, Kurt eventually stopped when he saw a blond woman was interviewing celebrities on the red carpet. Grammy's, perhaps? He set his remote down besides him sat up higher up on the bed.

A couple of big-name artists later, Kurt recognized the face that had been the center of everyone's attention this year. Even Kurt knew him and he rarely got out of the house or followed mainstream music.

As Kurt watched Adam Crawford and the interviewer exchange formalities, he couldn't help but notice what a genuine and beautiful his smile was. It was quite captivating in its way, and he began to understand why people loved the singer so much. Well, that and the fact that Adam Crawford had an absolutely wonderful voice and enough energy during his performances to light up a small country.

And he was _British_. Enough said.

"Now that your tour is done, what are your plans?" Kurt watched as the woman asked and quickly placed the mic towards the singer.

"I'm planning on taking a break for a couple of weeks. Hopefully see my parents, get inspired and maybe even travel for a bit."

"See you haven't brought a date. So now I must ask, for all the ladies out there, are you currently single?"

Adam laughed, his eyes crinkling in the process.

"Yes I am."

"There you have it, ladies!"

Kurt rolled his eyes at the screen, just imaging all the fan girls squealing in front of their TVs right this moment. He never quite understood the point of obsessing over a celebrity when there was generally no chance of them ever coming across each other. Yet, he had to give it to this Adam Crawford. Young, charming, successful and obviously handsome, with the most adorable smile he's seen on a human being. And the thought made Kurt quite bitter.

He had dreamt of becoming a singer ever since he was a child. He was singing and dancing since he could remember, never missing an opportunity to perform in front of others. He was a member of his high school's glee club, had even won awards with his solos. Yet, fate had stolen that dream from him without as much an apology.

"Dinner!"

Kurt snapped out of his brooding with the booming voice of his father. He rolled off the bed and treaded to the kitchen to set the table. Since his father had gotten remarried, the dinner table had always been quite crowded and loud, thanks to Finn's overwhelming presence and Carol being a mother hen. Yet today, it was going to be like the old days. Just him and his dad sharing a simple and quiet dinner. And he was quite glad, because he wasn't in any mood to be cheerful.

"So Kurt, I need to talk to you about something."

"Please don't tell me-"

"Hey now. Relax. I have to be in Washington for a few days next week, and unfortunately, Carol and Finn won't be around either."

"Why? What happened?"

"Well, Finn's grandma isn't doing too well."

"Oh...that's..."

"Yeah. So I was thinking that you stay at Dr. Crawford's house during that time."

"Dr. Crawford as in my doctor Dr. Crawford? Dad, I-"

"I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but do your old man a favor? It'll help me a lot knowing that you're in best hands."

"Dad..."

"Please?"

"OK fine. When are you leaving?"

"This Sunday."

Dr. Crawford had cared for Kurt for the past couple of years. He had just moved from England with his wife Emily, and the couple seemed to have developed quite a soft spot for the polite and sweet young man. When Burt told him about having to leave Kurt alone for a few days, they volunteered on the spot to take care of him.

Kurt had also taken quite a liking to the couple. Dr. Crawford was a very gentle man who never treated Kurt like just another patient, while his wife never missed an opportunity to make Kurt her stylist. So while the idea of having to be under constant supervision made him slightly bitter, he figured that spnding time with them was always going to be a positive thing. And his father had a point. Who else was going to take care of him and his condition better?

0

Kurt found himself in the living room of the Crawfords, his father having dropped him off only about an hour ago. He had settled into the guest room and was now marveling at the modern and chic decor of the house as he sat by Dr. Crawford on the couch. He had expected something more...traditionally European, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"William," Emily addressed her husband as she entered the living room, looking quite pleased. "Guess who's coming home for a couple of weeks!"

"Can't be Adam."

"Oh, but it is. He just called to say he's flying in tomorrow."

"That's brilliant. Finally taking a break I see."

"I'm sorry. Who's coming?" Kurt asked hesitantly, looking back and forth between the two adults in the room.

"Our son."

"Oh. You have a son. Sorry, I guess I never..."

"No, no. It's just that we try not to talk about him in public much."

"Oh," Kurt breathed, confused but afraid to ask. He just hoped that he didn't have to spend the few days in the house with an ex-convict or a drug dealer.

"Dear goodness, that sounded quite..._wrong_. Do you know Adam Crawford?"

"I know an Adam Crawford as in the singer, but...oh my god, is he...?" Kurt gasped and placed a hand to his mouth, suddenly seeing the resemblance. The same curly blond hair, the same eyes, and the way Dr. Crawford smiled! And well, being British and all.

"Yes, that's our son. And I'm sure you two will get along just fine," Emily answered with a smile, and Kurt could easily see that she was very proud of her son.

He sat to the side as the couple continued to discuss plans for picking their son up from the airport. For Kurt, the entire situation was surreal. Who would've thought that his doctor's son was _the_ Adam Crawford? What were the odds that the superstar was coming to visit his parents who happened to relocate to _Lima, Ohio _of all places from London?

0


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt jumped when he heard the front door open. He had been waiting in the guest room all morning, feeling quite nervous about coming face to face with Adam Crawford. He wasn't even a fan. In fact, he'd only heard a couple of his songs on the radio, yet he found himself quite excited at the prospect of meeting a celebrity. It was probably because his life was generally so uneventful.

Kurt quickly made his way towards the door and saw Mrs. Crawford walking in, with a familiar face trailing right behind.

And if Kurt thought Adam Crawford was handsome on TV, he was stunning in real life. The most startling difference was his eyes. Cameras clearly did not do justice when attempting to portray the striking depth in those eyes, and as theirs met, Kurt's couldn't help but inhale sharply at the jolt of electricity that shook his core.

"You must be Kurt," Adam greeted with a gentle smile, extending a hand that wasn't holding onto a small suitcase. Kurt took it tentatively, still trying to come to terms with what was really happening.

"Hi," Kurt breathed, noticing the warmth of Adam's hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, and I promise to be on my best behavior while you're here."

Kurt blushed at the wink that followed. Emily ushered her son to his room as Kurt entered the living room, feeling a bit lost as to what to do with himself. This Adam seemed a lot more down to Earth than he had anticipated. Weren't all superstars supposed to divas?

"So Kurt, I don't mean to be pretentious or presumptuous, but if you've heard any rumors about me, I can assure you that they're all false. Well, most of them anyway."

Kurt turned around at the sound of Adam, who was leaning against the wall behind him with his arms crossed in front of him. There was a good-natured smile on his face that reminded Kurt of the same one Dr. Crawford wore every time he visited.

"Oh, well I guess it's your lucky day because I haven't heard any," Kurt answered with a sheepish grin. And it was true. He didn't follow mainstream music enough to pay attention to all the celebrity drama.

"That's a relief," the singer replied, pushing himself off the wall and making his way towards the couch Kurt was currently sitting on. "So you're originally from Lima?"

"Born and raised."

"Alright then. How about this. Can I persuade you to be my tour guide for the duration of my visit?"

"Umm..."

"I promise to not be a nuisance. It's just that my parents will be busy and I don't know anyone else here. And I trust you to know all the great places only locals know. So what do you say, Kurt Hummel?"

"I suppose I can do that."

"Brilliant."

0

The next morning, Kurt woke up to the soft sound of a guitar playing somewhere in the house. The melody was gentle yet uplifting like the morning sun currently seeping through the curtains. And Kurt found himself listening as he curled up on the bed, wrapping himself tighter with the blanket. The song ended, and before he even had the chance to express his disappointment, another song was playing. This time, it was slower, more emotional, but moving in a way that it wasn't depressing. He didn't recognize the song though.

Kurt slowly got out of bed and trekked to the source of the sound. It was coming from the living room two doors down. Adam's room. Kurt stood by the door, his back against the wall, just listening to the sweet tune. It was nice to wake up to such nice music. He almost wished this was how he could wake up every morning from now on.

When this song finished, Kurt waited for the next, that never came. Instead, he found himself face to face with Adam who had walked out of his room in search of some food.

"Oh," Kurt breathed, his face flushing red immediately. Adam, on the other hand, looked pleasantly surprised by his presence.

"Good morning. I hope I didn't wake you with my guitar. Jet lag had me awake at a very ungodly hour and I just had to keep myself occupied. Sorry about that," the singer began, scratching his head with a uncertain smile. Kurt shook his head vigorously and took a step back.

"No, not at all. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just...you know."

"I don't mind at all. In fact, feel free to come in next time and let me know if I disturb your sleep in any way," Adam replied with a good-natured grin. "I was hoping to get some food downstairs. Care to join me?"

"Sure. Let me just get changed..."

"I think you look adorable in those pajamas, but alright. I'll be downstairs."

Kurt watched Adam's retreating figure, blushing even more furiously than he had been. This Adam Crawford really was something. How he managed to say something like that so effortlessly, he'd never understand, but he wasn't about to start complaining. It was unfamiliar, but it was sort of...nice.

When Kurt was back downstairs, Adam had set up cereal, milk, orange juice and a bowl of fruits. It seemed that Dr and Mrs. Crawfords were not in. Not all surprising considering that they were a doctor and a lawyer, respectively.

"The songs this morning," Kurt began shyly, pulling up a chair across from Adam and reaching out for an apple. "Did you write it?"

"In fact I did. And hopefully it'll end up on my next album. What did you think?"

"Oh, um..."

"And you can be honest."

"I liked it. A lot, actually."

"Why, thank you, Kurt. I might have to make you listen to all my new songs while I'm here," Adam replied, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. And Kurt noticed with acute clarity that the smile was sending butterflies haywire in his stomach. So much so that he was having a hard time eating an apple without making a fool out of himself.

"No cereal?" Adam asked, pointing at the box with his spoon.

"Not in the mood, I guess," Kurt answered, eyeing the sugar-injected option warily. He knew better than to start the morning with something so unhealthy. He wished he had brought the healthier options he had lying around home.

"So, Kurt, is there a nice park nearby we can go to?"

Kurt took another bite of the apple as he ran through the options in his head. There were _many _parks in Lima, actually. But there was one that he liked in particular. A cozy little park near his home that he retreated to every time he felt especially down.

"There is one I usually go to."

"Excellent. I think I need some peaceful scenery. That is, if you don't mind?"

"No, it's no problem. I think I can use some fresh air, too."

"So why don't we get ready after breakfast and then go?"

"That sounds great."

0

"I see why you'd come here often," Adam began once he got a good look at the place. It wasn't overly spacious like Hyde Park back in London nor was it as extravagant, but it was beautiful regardless. And there were hardly any people, which was something he was grateful for. He loved his fans, but he could use some time to himself without having them asking for autographs or snapping pictures.

"It's not big but it's nice," Kurt replied, walking side by side with the singer. He noticed that Adam looked quite pleased with taking a slow stroll around the park. "Can I ask you a question?" he continued carefully, not sure if he was allowed to bring up Adam's celebrity status.

"Anything."

"Being famous..isn't it difficult?"

Adam stopped his his tracks and looked at the other. No one had ever asked him that question. Everyone assumed that he enjoyed being famous, being noticed, when the truth was that he hated it for the most part. He was never the type to enjoy so much attention. He only became a singer because he liked singing and dancing and people noticed talent when they saw one.

He hated the gossip, the backstabbing, having to act a certain way. Having to keep a certain image was just as tiring and he really, _really_ didn't like going on talk shows. People on the web speculated about his life, pried into his personal one, made up rumors about him and took photos of moments he deemed private. He had only endured it all just because his career let him do what he had wanted to do his entire life. Writing songs and performing.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked," Kurt began, noticing the sudden silence and the small frown that had appeared on the singer's face. He wondered if he had stepped over some sort of a line. Of course Adam would want to be treated like a normal individual on his vacation and not be reminded of his celebrity status...

"No, it's not that. I guess I've never had anyone ask me that," Adam replied quickly with an apologetic smile. Kurt relaxed visibly at the explanation.

"And to answer you question...I suppose it is. Don't get me wrong, I love music. But you're right...being famous is a lot more difficult than I had imagined," the singer admitted quietly as he continued walking.

"I can only imagine how difficult dating must be," Kurt commented with a smile, hoping to lighten up the mood.

"Don't even get me started. It really doesn't help that the rest of the world thinks I'm straight."

"What?" Kurt breathed, completely shocked by the piece of information. Even he knew that women all across the globe was pining after him and as far as everyone was concerned, he was up for grabs. He was _the _new celebrity heartthrob.

"My agent and my manager believe that publicly coming out would do severe damage to my career. I guess I have an image to upkeep," Adam continued with a bitter smile.

"Are you sure you're allowed to tell me this?" Kurt asked in a subdued voice, looking around to see if anyone was listening.

"Are you planning on telling anyone?"

"No, of course not! I would never do something so horrible."

"I know," the singer answered with a cheeky grin. "That's why I told you in the first place."

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why?"

"I'm not sure, Kurt Hummel. You just seem like a very trustworthy person. Someone I can just be myself around."

"Oh."

"And you're the only person other than my agent, manager and my parents that knows, so if the word does get out, I'd know who to hunt down," Adam added playfully, not forgetting to send a quick wink towards the teen. "Speaking of dating, what about you? Seeing anyone?"

"No...I actually have never been in any relationship."

It was Adam's turn to be shocked. He stopped and stared, his mouth agape.

"You can't be serious."

"Sadly, I am."

"I honestly don't see how that's possible."

"I guess Lima isn't the best place for a sad little gay boy to find love."

Kurt noticed that Adam didn't seem to surprised by his sexuality. But then again, most people figured it out within minutes to talking to him.

"But you're stunning."

Kurt found himself blushing furiously again at the statement. Adam's voice wasn't mocking or even remotely playful. Instead, it sounded so matter-of-factly that it made Kurt squirm almost uncomfortable. The butterflies were definitely acting up again. No one had ever told him that he was _stunning_. The only comments he received about his physical attributes were something along the line of looking "faggy." Yet here was one of the most gorgeous people on the planet telling him he was beautiful. It just didn't make sense.

"Now you're just trying to be nice," Kurt murmured, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Oh no you don't. We're not leaving this place until you accept that you're absolutely gorgeous. And trust me, I've seen many beautiful people in my line of work, but you. You are definitely something else."

"Please stop."

"Let's try this again."

"Can we not?" Kurt pleaded, playing with his fingers nervously. Yet Adam continued on with a look of determination.

"You're absolutely stunning, Kurt Hummel."

"...thank you."

"Now that wasn't so difficult now, was it?"

"I guess I'm just not used to this sort of thing."

"What, people telling you the truth?" Adam replied with a cheeky grin, continuing with the stroll with his hands placed leisurely into his pockets.

"You're impossible," Kurt laughed despite himself. There was an air about this Adam Crawford that made him both nervous like a teenage girl tiptoeing around her crush and relaxed as if they had known each other forever.

"You'll learn to love me for it."

"I'm sure I will."


	3. Chapter 3

Once back at the Crawford residence, Kurt found himself in the singer's room with a guitar in his hands. He had mentioned how he wished he knew how to play the instrument, and Adam was more than willing to teach him in exchange for the promised tour of Lima.

"Now, this is another one of the basic chords. Put your fingers here, here and here," Adam explained, gently moving Kurt's fingers into place. "Good. Now, strum, like this," he continued, moving Kurt's other hand with his. Kurt smiled at the sound, and the singer couldn't help but notice how beautiful and radiant it was.

"Brilliant. For this chord, your fingers go- relax your fingers. There we go. Here, here and here."

"Like this?"

"Excellent."

"Ooh, this is a lot more difficult than I thought it'd be," Kurt breathed, stretching his fingers out and trying to avoid the stinging pain in his fingertips. He didn't want to be prissy, but the strings were really digging into his soft skin.

"You'll get used to it, and then eventually you won't feel a thing," Adam explained, taking note of the angry red marks. He stretched his own fingers out to show Kurt his calloused fingertips. "See? You could stab me here and I wouldn't know," he added with a good-natured chuckle.

"How long have you played?"

"Since I was 12, 13. Drove my parents insane when I played late at night, but I guess now they're glad they put up with me," the singer answered playfully, taking the guitar from Kurt who figured he was done for the day. He really didn't want blisters.

"Here's an idea," Adam continued abruptly, strumming random chords on his instrument. "Why don't we sing something together."

"Oh, I..."

"It'll be fun. I'll let you even choose the song."

Kurt bit his lower lip. He had given up singing so long ago, he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to do it again. It was still a painful reminder of what had become of his life. Did he dare dig that back up and risk going through another bout of depression?

"Maybe some other time," Kurt replied weakly, trying to push back the sudden rush of emotions. Adam, having prided in himself for being quite astute bit back the questions in his head and decided to let the other man be. He knew better than anyone else to not force music. It had to come naturally and it had to be enjoyable, and he was willing to wait as long as needed to listen to Kurt's singing voice. He could only imagine how beautiful it'd be.

"So what should we do now?" Adam began, changing the subject. "What do you usually do on your spare time?"

"Um. Don't laugh, but I like baking," the smaller man answered hesitantly.

"Laugh? Baking is a serious business, Kurt, I'd never," Adam deadpanned, earning a light smack on the arm. "I'll have you know I have quite a sweet tooth, which means, now I'm going to force you to bake for me."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. You brought it up. I think it's only fair that you take responsibility for it. I know mum loves to bake, so we might be lucky enough to find everything we need downstairs. Now I don't know the first thing about baking so, lead the way, sir."

"You're serious."

"I would _never_ joke about baked goods. Now run along!" Adam motioned towards the door, setting his guitar aside. He laughed and gently nudged the shorter man forward, ignoring Kurt's protest.

"Well it seems like we have everything we need, if you're OK with chocolate chip cookies."

"I'm more than OK with them. Now, I shall be your trusty servant and do as you command. Although I can't guarantee any decent results," Adam replied, rolling his sleeves up with a determined expression. Kurt giggled and pulled some bowls out.

Baking was another hobby that he had given up for some time. He knew he wasn't allowed to eat much cake or anything sweet for that matter, and baking had proved to be severely detrimental to his efforts to maintain a healthy diet. Yet, he was going to make today an exception, because really, who could resist Adam Crawford's plea for cookies?

"Will you hate me if I ate half the dough right now?" Adam asked, staring at the bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough in front of him. Kurt cringed when the singer added another cup of chocolate chips to the mix.

"I'd think that you'd hate yourself if you did that."

"Excellent point. Can I still take a spoonful?"

"OK, fine, just one then," Kurt replied with an expression of mock-annoyance, jutting his hip out and resting a hand on it.

"Mum never lets me have dough for some reason. She doesn't realize that this is the best part of the entire process. Would you like some?"

"I'm good."

"Not even a _tiny_ bit?"

"Nope."

"Last chance, Kurt," Adam urged in a sing-song voice, waving a small spoonful of dough in front of him. It took everything Kurt's power to not take the spoon.

"Still no."

"Strong-willed, aren't you," Adam commented, taking the spoon into his mouth instead. He closed his eyes and hummed in approval at the taste, making Kurt stare with his mouth agape. There was no way that Adam knew what he was doing, because Christ, eating cookie dough had never been so...so...

"Is there anything you're _not_ good at?" the singer asked, too busy staring at the bowl in front of him to notice Kurt's partly dazed expression. The shorter man recovered quickly and cleared his throat.

"We haven't even baked them yet."

"Trust me, they're going to be great. I can feel it. I may not be a professional baker, but I'm a professional eater."

Kurt laughed quietly as he checked the oven. The two then added little balls of dough onto the sheets, with Kurt chastizing Adam for making them too big. Once they were in the oven, Adam volunteered to clean up, explaining that he was responsible for most of the mess anyway. Kurt protested, but it went ignored, so he found himself standing around the kitchen island, watching Adam wash everything.

It was a strange sight to see such a superstar doing the dishes. Who would've thought that he'd live to see the day...

0

Kurt could've sworn that he saw a tail wagging as he watched Adam crouched down and waiting impatiently for the cookies to finish. Not that he knew much about Adam Crawford the singer to start with, but he had a vague idea of how famous celebrities were. He figured most of them were divas, other quite snobbish and pretentious (he didn't like stereotyping people, but could he really help it?). He was sure that some of them were quite down-to-earth, but he doubted anyone of them would wait like a eager puppy in front of the oven just for some chocolate chip cookies.

"Um, Adam, watching isn't going to make time any go faster," Kurt suggested, leaning forward against the kitchen counter.

"You're right. If anything, I think it's going a lot slower. But I can't seem to help myself," Adam replied with a wistful sigh, his eyes still glued onto the oven. Kurt bit back a laugh and made his way towards the singer and crouched down besides him.

"You're really not what I expected," Kurt began, surprising himself that he had said that out loud. It seemed to have caught the blonde's attention because now it was Adam's turn to stare at Kurt.

"How so?"

"I dunno. I guess I always had this image of celebrities acting more like a diva. And to stay away from anything remotely fattening."

"While I refuse to give up cookies, I can certainly act like a diva for you if you'd like," Adam replied playfully, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Kurt laughed and followed suit, feeling his legs getting cramped.

"I really can't imagine you acting like a diva."

"To be honest, I'm horrible at it. I've tried acting the part just to...fit in or whatever, but I can't seem to pull it off. So I stopped even trying."

Kurt wrinkled his nose as he laughed, images of Adam acting like a total diva popping into his head. It was quite an amusing image, indeed.

"You're a lot like your dad."

"I hear that a lot. So tell me about your family, Kurt."

"Well, my mom passed away when I was little."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine...so uh, well, my dad Burt, he's the best dad I could ever ask for. He's always been supportive of me, even when I came out to him. He married Carol a few years back, and she's just wonderful and they're so great together. I also have a step-brother named Finn. He's a bit strange, but I guess he's still a great brother. We actually went to the same high school."

"Your family sounds lovely. Perhaps I'll get to see them while I'm here?"

"Yeah, that sounds great. I'm sure they'd love to see you too."

"You must really love your family."

Kurt gave Adam a questioning glance, wondering where that had come from. Not that the statement was inaccurate in any way. Of course not. He loved his family to pieces and would do anything for them.

"The way you smile when you talk about them. It just shows. It's the same smile you wear when you listen to music or bake."

Kurt coughed nervously and returned his attention back to the oven, blaming the heat radiating from the oven for the way his cheeks were probably turning red now. This Adam had a knack for saying things that caught him off guard.

0

"What's that?" Santana asked, pointing at the bag Kurt was holding.

"Cookies."

"Is that a codeword for something?" she asked, turning to their other friend Sebastian, who shrugged in response, looking equally baffled.

"It's just cookies."

"Where did you get em?"

"I baked, alright?"

"You _baked_."

"Yes, I baked."

"As in, with flour and butter and eggs and whatever."

"Why are you-"

"But you haven't baked for ages. OK, what the hell is going on here?" the Latina demanded, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Are you going to at least let me in?" Kurt asked with a huff of annoyance. Today was another scheduled hang-out for the three of them, this time at Santana's house. She side-stepped to allow her friend inside, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

"Alright, lady, I'm giving you ten minutes to change into something comfortable and we're going to have a talk."

"I can't just bake without being interrogated?"

"Nice try."

3 minutes and 27 seconds later, the three were huddled on Santana's spacious bed.

"OK, so spill," she began in a voice that clearly left no room for escape.

"I just felt like baking."

"It's really cute that you think you can get away with bullshitting me, but I don't have time for this. Speak. Now."

"Mrs. Crawford wanted to bake so I baked with her," Kurt lied, hoping that he was doing a good job at it. He had always been a terrible liar.

"Who's Mrs. Crawford?" Sebastian asked curiously, running the name through his mental databse of folks he knew in Ohio and coming up empty.

"My doctor's wife."

"And what the hell are you doing with your doctor's wife?" Santana interjected, her eyes narrowed.

"I'm staying with them for a few days."

"What? Why?"

"Dad, Carol and Finn won't be around this week so I'm staying at theirs."

"And you didn't tell us this, because?" the Latina demanded, looking ready to take her claws out.

"I was busy, alright. I'm telling you now."

"Huh. Alright. But I still don't buy the cookie story. Do you?" Santana asked, turning to Sebastian who was wearing a trademark smirk on his face.

"Kurt's such a terrible liar, I sometimes feel the need to pretend like I'm fooled."

"Ugh, me too."

"Guys, I'm right here, and it doesn't mean anything alright? So you want the cookies or not?"

"Oh, gimme," Santana snatched it right out of Kurt's hands and peered into the bag.

"That's going straight to your ass," Sebastian taunted, making Santana scowl deeply. "So Kurt, do the Crawfords have a really hot son?"

Kurt sputtered, internally cursing his lack of ability to maintain composure. Adam's face popped into his head as soon as the question was asked, and as if on a reflex, Kurt found himself blushing furiously.

"Bingo," Sebastian sang with a smirk, earning a gasp from Santana.

"I didn't even say anything!"

"You didn't have to. Look, I'm not going to lecture you. Just-"

"I know. Can we not talk about this?"

Santana and Sebastian exchanged glances and decided not to push the matter any further. Kurt didn't need a reminder, especially from the two people he considered his closest friends. They would just have to keep a careful eye in case something goes wrong...and be there for him when he needs them. It broke their hearts as they watched the fleeting look of defeat and longing for his life back in Kurt's eyes, but they couldn't encourage anything that would risk putting their friend in a worse place. Kurt really didn't need a broken heart on top of everything else.

"Alright, lady, you're going to help me find a dress for me to wear at my aunt's wedding. Something sexy."

"You're going wear something sexy to your aunt's wedding?" Sebastian questioned incredulously.

"What, there's a law against that now?"

"No, but I doubt you'll fit into anything with all the cookies you're shoving in your mouth."

Kurt watched his two friends bicker and smiled despite himself. No one had expected those two to stick around with him after high school, especially when they made his life quite difficult. Yet the three had become inseparable, forming a pack of a very unlikely group of friends, and sometimes he wondered if he would have made it this far without them.

They were very protective of him, and he appreciate that. And they really made visible efforts to not treat him like a patient or act any differently around him, which he was grateful for. But he wished that, for once, that he could talk to them about potential romance, dates and hopes or a relationship.

* * *

**Hopefully I'll be able to fit in more updates this week. And for those of you who have reviewed to tell me that you liked the re-done version, thank you! Hope you continue to enjoy!  
**

**Review and show love! Up next, the two get to know each other better :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Adam had seen many people in his line of work.

He was surrounded by individuals who valued uniqueness, artists who stood out easily from the rest of the crowd. Yet he had never seen someone like Kurt. And he could say with confidence that he was glad that he made the trip to see his parents.

There was no question that Kurt Hummel was a physically very beautiful individual. His porcelain skin seemed to almost sparkle like diamond dust in sunlight, in the most alluring way possible. Then there was the adorably upturned nose that Adam had to resist tapping with his fingertip, because really, it was just asking for it. And his lips! They were so pouty and full, he found himself staring at them on a number of occasions. Perhaps too intensely, for too long.

But Kurt's most prominent feature was his eyes. At first glance, they seemed blue, but upon closer observation, he could see a sea of blue, shades of green and speckles of hazel and gold that all reflected Kurt's multi-dimensional personality.

When it came to his personality, he initially seemed like an average introvert, but Adam now knew better. Kurt could be both bashful and sassy, all without coming off as awkward or rude. When Kurt sat still by window, staring at the world outside, he looked like an ice sculpture, untouchable yet startlingly beautiful. Yet when he laughed, he lit up the room and radiated warmth that the singer swore he could physically feel both on his skin and in his heart. Then when the younger man spoke, it was as if the world around them faded into white, leaving only Kurt's heartbreakingly beautiful voice in its awake.

Needless to say, Adam was captivated. There was no escape and he didn't want it. He needed to know more about this individual who had caught his attention in a way that no one had been able to. A significant part of him knew that his life would never be the same anymore. Kurt Hummel was simply one of those people. The rare ones you come across in your lifetime that changes everything.

Adam watched as Kurt laughed at the TV screen. He was vaguely aware that they were watching a movie, but wasn't even sure which one. The last 40 minutes or so had consisted to stealing quick glances of the other man and nodding at Kurt's comments or even laughing alongside him.

When the movie finished, with Adam still having no idea what even happened in the film, Kurt stretched and leaned back against the couch with a lazy smile. When Adam turned the movie off and began idly shuffling through random TV channels, the two were met with Adam's face in one of his music videos. Kurt squealed in delight and snatched the remote out of the other man's grasp, ignoring Adam's vocal protest.

"Oh my god, it's you! This is crazy!" Kurt barely managed to speak between his laughs. "And to think that I'm sitting right next to_ the _Adam Crawford."

"Can we please change the channel?" Adam pleaded, putting on his best puppy dog look. Kurt contemplated sparing the singer but settled for shaking his head defiantly.

"No way. This is too good."

"I take that back about you being a nice person."

"You'll grow to love me for it."

"That's it, you're forcing my hands. I'm going to have to resort to physical violence now," Adam warned jokingly as he lunged forward and pinned the smaller man down onto the couch. Kurt squealed and lulled his head back in laughter, pulling his hand far above his head to make sure the remote was out of reach. The singer continued to claw for the remote until their bodies were flush against each other.

Everything came to a halt as they stared into each others' eyes.

Kurt swallowed visibly, as Adam's breath hitched. They were so close, with the warmth of each others' bodies seeping through the thin materials of their clothes. Adam cleared his throat awkwardly and pushed himself off the couch, averting his gaze to an imaginary point besides the TV. Kurt fumbled momentarily before sitting up as well and swiftly changed the channel.

"Sorry about that. I hope I didn't hurt you," Adam broke the silence, his eyes still avoiding Kurt.

"No, not at all. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable."

"Well, the videos were made for public viewing so I guess I shouldn't be too embarrassed," Adam replied sheepish, finally turning to look at the other man. Kurt returned the smile, visibly relaxing as most of the awkwardness cleared from the air.

"It's getting late," Kurt began, glancing at the clock indicating it was almost midnight. Time sure flew when he spent time with the singer...

"This bloody jet lag is not helping my case," Adam muttered, eliciting a giggle from Kurt.

"I suppose I could keep you company for a little longer."

"If you'd be so kind."

"Did you want to watch another movie or...?"

"How about we head to my room and just talk? Get to know each other better?" Adam suggested, not missing the way Kurt stiffened at the question. He opened his mouth to throw another suggestion when the shorter man nodded and pushed himself off the couch.

"Sounds good. I'm just going to get ready for bed and then see you in your room."

"Perfect. I'll see you in a few, Kurt Hummel."

0

Adam couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into him.

There was just no explanation for why he was currently lying on his bed, waiting anxiously for the other man to walk in. And Adam Crawford _never _got nervous. He could perform in front of thousands with no problem. He never once stalled or stuttered during interviews. Hell, he had his fair share of beautiful men lusting after him and had shared space with them, but he had never actually felt _nervous_.

But here he was, twisting and turning on his own bed like some lovestruck teenage boy.

And when Kurt did walk in, he was relaxed all over again. His mood changed faster than he could blink, and he was starting to grow concerned at his erratic behavior. Kurt looked adorable as he made his way to the bed with his pajamas. Adam scooted off to the side to give the other man some space.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Kurt asked airily as he settled on the bed.

"I want to know more about you, Kurt Hummel," Adam begin, leaning against the wall. "A nice game of truth or dare should suffice."

"Haven't played that in a while."

"Me neither, but it's a classic. So, Kurt Hummel, truth or dare?"

"Truth. Go easy on me."

"Not after what you did with the remote," Adam retorted playfully, making Kurt giggle. "Let's see. I'll start with the most basic one. When was your first kiss?"

Kurt swallowed visibly at the question, making Adam quirk an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well...itsortadepends..." Kurt mumbled quickly, hoping that the other man wouldn't pick up on it. But Adam did. His excellent hearing wouldn't let something like that pass.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story."

"And I have all night."

"Are you really going to make me tell you the story?"

"I take this game _very_ seriously."

"OK, fine. Back in high school, there was this guy who made it his personal goal in life to make me miserable," Kurt began quietly, remembering the incident so clearly.

"Kurt, I'm sorry, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's fine. I take this game very seriously, too," Kurt replied with a weak smile, and Adam sat still in understanding. "He was always pushing me into lockers, throwing slushies at my face."

"I'm sorry. Did you just say slushies at your face?"

"Yeah, it was some kind of a bullying tradition back at McKinley. Anyways, then one day, I confronted him, following him into the guys' lockers and yelled at him. And then things got all angry and the next thing I know, he's hate kissing me. So there you have it, the story of how Kurt Hummel got his first kiss."

"I honestly don't know what to say, other than...I'm sorry. A person's first kiss should never be like that. Please tell me your real first kiss was better."

Kurt blushed at the words and stared at his hands. Adam, noticing how the smaller man was playing with his fingers nervously.

"Oh no, don't tell me...was the next one just as bad?"

"Well...no, not exactly...I can't believe I'm saying this but, that was it."

"I'm not quite sure I follow..."

"That was my first and only kiss."

"You can't be serious..."

"Trust me, it's _really_ hard being gay in a public school in Lima."

"Must be, if someone like you weren't being kissed all the time," Adam mused, and when he saw the look of embarrassment and shock on Kurt's face, he wished he hadn't said that out loud. Especially when now it seemed impossible for him to not stare at the full set of lips on the other man. He had no problem admitting that he wouldn't have left Kurt alone if he had been a Lima resident.

"So, your turn. Truth or dare?" Kurt asked shyly, playing with a corner of the blanket.

"Truth."

"Have you dated anyone famous?"

"Ooh, good one, sir. I've never been in a relationship with any of them, but I have been on dates with a couple."

"No way, who?"

"Ah, ah, only one question per turn."

"Ugh! You're a horrible human being. Fine."

Adam laughed good-heartedly at the pouty expression on the other man. Kurt seemed genuinely curious and so ready to fire off at his next turn.

"Truth or dare, Mr. Hummel?"

"Truth."

"If you could date anyone famous, who would it be?"

"Why, are you planning on setting me up?" Kurt questioned playfully, his nose wrinkling oh-so adorably.

"Sorry darling, but no." _Because I'm into you_. Adam bit back the last part, hoping his expression was as neutral as he hoped.

"No fun. Let's see...I mean, I always had a thing for Taylor Lautner, but I wouldn't mind Ryan Gosling either."

"I'll give it to you, Kurt. You have good taste. A bit wounded that I wasn't on the list, but I think I can live with that," the singer commented, feigning hurt. Kurt giggled and threw a pillow at the other man. Adam caught it easily and held it across his chest.

"Truth or dare? Please say truth or I'm going to explode."

"Bossy, aren't you. Truth, please."

"So who did you date? And I promise I won't make the information public. For my ears only, because I won't be able to sleep unless you tell me and as much as I wish they were gay, I really hope it's not Taylor Lautner or Ryan Gosling because then I'd have to hurt you."

"No, no. It's Hunter Clarington and Jeff Sterling."

"No. Way. OK, everyone knows Jeff Sterling is gay, but Hunter Clarington? Really? I thought he had a girlfriend!"

"Well, let's just say that the entertainment industry is notorious for fake relationship. Especially for someone like Hunter, who has an image to upkeep. He's supposed to be a sex symbol, so coming out isn't an option for him yet. Dear god, I don't think I should even be telling you these things. Now I really feel like a terrible person."

"I swear on everything I cherish that I won't tell a soul. So um...why didn't it work out with you and, you know?"

"Hunter and I hung out and knew immediately we'd make better friends than anything. I guess the same thing goes for Jeff. He's happily dating someone now, though."

"Oh, this is crazy," Kurt breathed, looking at Adam as if he was from a different world.

"I agree. Your turn, truth or dare?"

"Truth. Because I don't think I'm ready for a dare yet."

"Well then, I guess I'll have to step my game up with the questions. What is your wildest fantasy?"

"I so should've seen this coming..."

"And you're not getting out of it."

"This is embarrassing...I mean, I want candles and rose petals leading up to the bedroom when I walk in and it to be really sweet and romantic and all that. I know that doesn't sound wild, but I can't think up of anything else."

"I don't see how that's wild in any way, but I'm letting you off the hook only this once."

"Such a gentleman. Truth or dare?"

"Mm, truth."

"Have you ever been with a woman?"

"Well, I've kissed women. It all comes with the job apparently, as you probably just saw in my music video. I've dated girls before when I was a teenager and lost. But I've luckily never tried sleeping with any of them. At that point, I really should've known I was completely gay, because all the other blokes couldn't stop talking about who they were shagging."

"You sounded so British just now."

"Can't help it I suppose. It's getting late, so I'm officially making this the last one. Truth or dare?"

"Since we're on a finishing note, I'll say dare. Go easy on me?"

"Mmm. Kurt Hummel, I dare you to go on a date with me. Tomorrow dinner."

Kurt was sure that he forgot how to breathe as he listened to the words. Adam Crawford, _the_ Adam Crawford, was asking him out on a date. And he wasn't joking.

* * *

**A/N: For anyone who may be confused, Blain/Dalton hasn't happened in this specific AU. In fact, Dalton Academy does NOT exist and all characters from the school have different roles in this one. All other main events that happened at McKinley however still remain, including the bullying. And Kurt in this fic is more of the McKinley days' baby penguin Kurt than the one in NYADA.**

**Other than that, review and show love? :D**


	5. Chapter 5

Adam's dare kept repeating itself in Kurt's head as he lied in bed, the blanket pulled up to his chin. No matter how he looked at it, it didn't make sense that Adam Crawford, the man who could get anyone he desired, would ask him, some sad, lonely gay from the hick-town of Lima, Ohio, out on a date. He tried to brush it off as a joke, but Adam had been adamant about the dinner, and damn it to hell, the man sounded _sincere_.

Kurt was no longer sure if he was excited or wary about tomorrow. He understood that it might not even mean anything to Adam, but for him, it'd be the first time in his life that a person had asked him out. He was so setting himself up for disappointment, but in the end, he decided he wasn't going to care. Adam Crawford was presenting him with the experience, and he sure hell wasn't going to be getting it from anyone else any time soon.

And plus, Adam can't break a heart that's already broken, right?

0

"You're...dressed up."

"I figured I'd have to be quite classy if I'm to take a certain Kurt Hummel out for dinner."

Kurt blinked, still staring at Adam with his mouth agape. He was specifically told to meet Adam just outside the house at 7pm, and as soon as he walked out of the Crawford residence, he was met with the man dressed in suits. _Actual suits_. And Adam owned the outfit, as if he had walked straight out of GQ.

Kurt swallowed visibly as Adam opened the door to the passenger's seat and motioned for him to get in, complete with a playful bow and a charming smile.

"Ooh, such a gentleman." Kurt let out a nervous laugh.

"Staying true to my heritage."

"This is really great and all, but are you allowed to drive here?" Kurt asked carefully as he approached the car, suddenly remembering that people drove on the other side of the road in England.

"Mmm, probably not."

"Are you-"

"Kurt, I was joking. I've driven plenty of times in the states. You're very distracting, but I think I can manage bringing you back home safely," Adam explained as he watched the smaller man climb in.

"Ha. Anything happens to me, you're going to have to face my dad. And trust me, you don't want that," Kurt quipped in a teasing tone, eliciting a low chuckle from the other man.

"You look absolutely stunning, by the way," Adam began after a brief pause. Kurt fidgeted with a bashful smile.

"You're not too bad yourself, Mr. Crawford."

"I think we make a_ very _hot couple, if I say so myself," the singer added with a lopsided grin and started the engine. Kurt had a very good feeling about this date.

0

"Why is it that I didn't even know a place like this existed so close to Lima?" Kurt asked breathlessly as he walked into the restaurant. He had never in his life been anywhere so obviously upscale. There were statues lining up to the entrance, empty vintage wine bottles adorning the walls alongside impressive works of art. A woman wearing a tight black dress and a pair of high heels approached them with a smile.

"Hello, Mr. Crawford, it's a pleasure to have you join us," she greeted, smiling at Adam. The singer greeted back with a friendly "Pleasure's mine," ignoring the curious look she was throwing at his date. Adam had specifically requested for a private dining area to avoid such questioning and speculative stares, and he wasn't about to risk anyone coming up to him or taking pictures. The two followed the woman, and Kurt tried his best to contain himself as he walked into an elegant room, complete with shelves of books to one side, an impressive chandelier on the ceiling and lit candles and a bouquet of flowers arranged neatly on the table.

Once they were seated and alone, Kurt turned to the taller man with his mouth still agape.

"Adam, this place is amazing."

"Do you like it?"

"Do I like it? Are you kidding me? I love it!"

"Oh thank god. I wasn't sure what you were into."

Kurt reached for the menu and coughed as soon as he opened it. While he wasn't stranger to fine dining, he had _never_ seen anything consumable so expensive in his life.

"Uh, Adam?" he began awkwardly, staring incredulously at the numbers placed next to each entree.

"I know what you're going to say and please, Kurt, let me do this?"

"But-"

"No buts. And if you don't pick something good, I'm going to personally order everything on the menu. Including the entire wine list."

"You wouldn't!"

"Are you sure?"

"Adam..."

"Please don't make me brag about how much money I made on my last album?"

"_Adam_," Kurt tried again, his voice more forceful.

"Please?"

Kurt sighed at the puppy dog look, knowing there was no way he'd win this one. He returned to the menu and scanned the list, skipping the steak section and jumping right to the seafood platter. Adam settled for filet mignon and placed their orders.

"How did you even find this place?" Kurt asked as they waited for their dinner.

"I did some research."

"You know, I would've been OK with something less...extravagant."

"I wouldn't have been. I wanted this dinner to be...special," Adam replied quietly yet firmly. "But let me just warn you now. I've never been on an _official _date, so I may be a bit over the top, and I can't guarantee that there won't be any mistakes," Adam warned with a sheepish grin, playing with the glass of water in front of him.

"You're in luck, because I've never been on a date. I wouldn't know."

"Mm, then I guess I'd have to leave a wonderful first impression."

"I think you're already doing a great job on that front."

The singer flashed the smaller man a radiant smile, and Kurt could've sworn that the room just lit up a bit brighter.

"I don't think I've ever been this nervous," Adam admitted quietly, picking at the naptkin now on his laps. Kurt raised an eyebrow with an amused expression.

"I said that out loud didn't I," Adam continued bashfully, hoping that the other wouldn't find him too pathetic. His PR, manager and agent all have told him on a number of occasion that he had a reputation to uphold. Something along the line of sexy and confident, yet he was having a hard time maintaining that image with Kurt around. Much to his surprise, Kurt was watching him with what he could only describe as adoration.

"Well that makes the two of us then."

"And since we're being honest, I'm feeling very awkward about being in such a swanky restaurant."

"But don't celebrities go to places like this all the time?"

"I guess we do, but I've never gotten quite used to it. I'm really not as upscale as people think I am. Frankly, I only pretend to know anything about fine wine. My manager forced me to memorize a few just so I don't sound like a complete idiot during important dinner meetings."

Kurt covered his mouth as he giggled at the admission.

"I had to spend an entire week memorizing how to pronounce all the French names. I don't think I've quite ever picked up the language, but you, you look like you'd speak French."

"Well, if you must know, I do speak a bit. I had to study it if I was going to read vogue in French."

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you. So you're telling me that, on top of everything else, you also know how to speak French. Dear God, Kurt Hummel."

"Oh, stop it," Kurt countered with a shy smile and an adorable blush. "So tell me something about yourself that I'd never find on the internet."

"That might be tough considering the sheer amount of rumors people have posted on the web. I think I've heard just about everything, and mind you, I don't even use the internet much. Here's a good one. Apparently I used to be a go-go dancer at a gay bar before I became a singer."

"Were you?" Kurt asked, stifling a laughter.

"Dear god no. I'd make a terrible go-go dancer," Adam answered with a serious expression, making Kurt laugh out loud. "Hm, so let's see...something I've never said on public record. Well you know that I'm gay. Obviously. OK. Don't laugh at me, but instead of going to after-parties, sometimes I sit home alone and watch the Lion King and cry."

"No way!" the smaller man squealed, imagining Adam wrapped up in a blanket and sniffling at the animated film. He had to admit though, watching Mufasa die did make him cry every damn time as well.

"Hey now, it's no laughing matter."

"Oh trust me, I know," Kurt gasped breathlessly, trying to stifle his ongoing laughter.

"Since I'm already losing man-points, I will also admit that every time I go to the cinema with people to watch a scary film, I pretend to have fallen asleep just so I don't have to look at the screen."

"No!"

"Yes."

"We're so going to watch a scary movie together."

"Kicking a man while he's down. Never took you as the type, Kurt Hummel."

"I'm willing to overlook basic human morals for this one."

"This isn't fair. Now it's time for you to admit something embarrassing about yourself."

"First off, none of the things you said were _embarrassing_. I think they were...cute. But fine, I guess it's only fair that I say something. I may or may not have crushed on who is currently my step-brother."

"You're joking!"

"I wish. Now I look back and go ohmygod what the hell was I thinking? But it was high school. Dark times for Kurt Hummel, I tell you."

"Goodness, Kurt. And is your step-brother aware of this?"

"Oh trust me, _everyone_ knew eventually. And he freaked out, I freaked out, everyone freaked out, but he got over it. He's a great guy like that I guess."

"Now I can't _wait_ till I meet your family."

"I will hunt you down if you mention this to them."

"Is that a promise?"

Kurt giggled with a faint blush as Adam leaned forward with a cheeky grin. Just then, their entrees arrived and the smaller man couldn't help but stare at the extravagant display.

"Well, this looks good," Kurt mused as he picked up his utensils.

"I agree. Let's just hope that I remember all my table manners."

0

"So what's next?" Kurt asked as they walked out of the restaurant. The meal had been more than perfect, and Adam made sure to leave a hefty tip to ensure secrecy of his visit. It wasn't so much that he minded being seen with the brunette. In fact, right now, he wanted to tell the world that he was on a date with someone as wonderful as Kurt Hummel. But the more rational side of him warned that the media would make life a lot more difficult for the both of them.

If there was one thing he learned during his time in the industry, it was that he should never make his private life public. Plenty of his celebrity friends had made the mistake and paid the price. Big time.

"Well, I was hoping to watch a film. Nothing scary though."

"Aww, why not?" Kurt whined playfully.

"Because I was hoping to go for _impressive_, not _pathetic_, for this first date."

"I still think it's cute that you can't watch scary movies. It's fine, I don't like them much either."

"Then I think we're perfect for each other," Adam quipped playfully, eliciting a short laugh from the smaller man. When the valet brought their car out, he opened the door for Kurt again. A few select songs later, they pulled up to a drive-in movie theater. Once again, Kurt didn't even know that such a place existed so close to Lima. And to think that he was the one that was supposed to be the one give Adam a tour!

"This is...so.._nice_," Kurt breathed as they parked up to a great spot. Luckily for them, there were only a couple of other cars in the theater, which gave them a more secure sense of privacy.

"Popcorn?" Adam asked after turning the engine off. Kurt hesistated before answering. He knew having popcorn was probably not the best idea, but he wanted the experience to be _complete_.

"That sounds great. But hold the butter?"

"As long as it's not because you're watching your weight, because you'd have to be insane to."

"Promise."

"Good. In that case, I shall be right back."

"Oh, at least let me get the popcorn?"

"Nope. I'm doing this my way tonight. I'll be right back," Adam replied before leaving the car in search of their movie treat.

Once Adam was back with a giant bag of popcorn and two drinks he somehow managed to carry back (Kurt had to open the car for him), the movie began playing on the big screen.

"Breakfast at Tiffany's?" Kurt yelped as the movie began. It was one of his favorites and he didn't remember ever telling Adam that. So how did he...? "Not that I'm complaining, because I really do love this movie, but why this one?"

"I had a hunch that you'd like it," Adam answered with a soft smile before taking a sip of his coke. Kurt smiled back in return before taking a handful of popcorn. He had always thought that there was something incredible romantic about a drive-in theater and had been quite envious when he saw couples in movies do it.

After the movie, they drove straight back home as it was getting quite late. Adam stopped Kurt before heading into the house.

"I had a wonderful time. Thank you," Adam began as he gently took Kurt's hand into his. Their fingers intertwined perfectly, and Kurt could help but inhale sharply at the sensation. It sent an unfamiliar jolt of electricity through him and made his heart beat so much faster. It frightened him, but it felt so right, as if he couldn't get enough of the rush he was feeling.

"Me too," Kurt replied breathlessly, his cheeks not without a hint of red.

"And this is supposed to be where I tell you good night and drive off, but that doesn't seem to be the case tonight," Adam murmured, leaning closer. "But I hope that you'd at least let me do this."

And Kurt felt Adam's soft lips on his cheek. It was chaste, lingering only for a brief moment before parting. Kurt looked up into Adam's stunning blue eyes and knew that there was no going back. Adam was so perfect for him. He was what he had needed all his life. And he was not going to let it slip through this fingers no matter how selfish it'd be.

"I'll call you tonight?" Adam added playfully with a gentle squeeze of Kurt's hands.

"Don't keep me waiting too long," Kurt replied with an equally humorous grin.

"I promise I won't. Now, let's get you home."

And the two walked into the house, their hands still holding onto each others'.

* * *

**A/N: Gosh, I love Kadam. ANYWAYS, I'm blown away by all the wonderful reviews left for the last chapter! Thank you for your support and hope you continue to enjoy :) Let me know your thoughts and wishes!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I've been getting questions regarding Kurt's health, and if you haven't guessed already, he has a heart condition. Now I won't go into any details yet, but I hope you stick around to find out :)**

* * *

By lunch time the next day, the two men were in the kitchen trying to decide what to cook for lunch. Kurt opened the fridge with a finger to his chin, scanning the ingredients . Instead of making any effort to help Kurt decide, Adam wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist from behind, burying his nose in Kurt's soft hair that had yet to be style. Kurt blushed furiously but didn't protest, enjoying the warmth provided by the taller man.

"So what are you in the mood for?" Kurt asked quietly and sighed contently as Adam nuzzled against the shell of his ears.

"Mmm, can't really think when I'm holding you like this," the singer murmured into the smaller man's hair.

"You're ridiculous!" Kurt laughed, turning around to face the other man. The date last night had been magical in more way than one. Not only was everything perfect - the conversation, the dinner, the drive-in movie - but the two had become so much closer in the course of the last few hours. It was as if they couldn't get enogh of each others' presence, and neither of them minded. Kurt had imagined what it'd be like to be so intimate with someone. He had pictured himself being cuddle like this, being touched in such an affectionate manner and spoken to so tenderly, yet none of his imaginations had come close to the real thing.

Adam played with a loose strand of Kurt's hair wordlessly, staring into the ther man's eyes lovingly. Kurt leaned forward until their noses were almost touching. He swallowed nervously, his hands now placed on the singer's chest.

Just then, his phone rang. Kurt cursed inwardly and pulled himself back abruptly to grab his phone angrily.

_Santana._

"Hey," Kurt answered with a huff, putting a hand to motion Adam to give him a moment.

"What are you up to, Lady?"

"Just about to make some lunch."

"Good. Then stop and come over. Lunch, three of us. Now."

"Wait, I can't-"

"Don't make me come over there and _get _you."

"Santana...I'm with someone," Kurt replied and regretted it immediately. He had definitely dug his grave with that one. Now there was no way that Santana was going to let this one go...

"WHAT?"

"With a friend," he added hastily, crossing his fingers and hoping that she wouldn't push the issue.

"Oh yeah, _who_?"

"You don't know him."

"Uh huh, right, bring him over too then. There's plenty of food. See you in a bit. No excuse."

Kurt stared at his phone uncertainly. Knowing Santana, she was bound to find him somehow, but he couldn't just-

"So where are we going?" Adam asked, having heard the conversation considering how loud Santana was being on the other line.

"Oh no. No, no, no. We're not going to her place."

"Why not?"

"For one thing, she's my friend but she's insane. So is my other friend. And...you're well...you're Adam Crawford."

"And right now, I'm Adam Crawford who really wants to meet Kurt Hummel's friends. Come on, I'm sure it'll be fun."

For some reason, Kurt doubted that'd be the case.

0

When Kurt rang the doorbell to Santana's place, she yelled that the door was open. Kurt fidgeted nervouslyas he glanced at the other. He didn't know why he was so nervous about introducing Adam to his friends, but then again, he had perfectly good reasons to be. Santana and Sebastian were two of the most devious and volatile individuals to have ever graced Lima and Westerville, respectively, and well, the man he was standing was a big-time celebrity.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Santana shouted when she heard the door open.

Kurt led Adam through the familiar interior, into the kitchen. His two friends turned around simulataneously to greet Kurt and froze. There was a heavy silence as Sebastian and Santana's eyes zoomed right at the singer. There was immediate recognition in their eyes, so Kurt inhaled sharply and held his breath, waiting for the shouting to begin.

"Sebastian, what the hell did you put in my juice?" she screeched, shooting Sebastian an accusatory glare.

"Whatever you're on, I'm on it too," Sebastian replied quietly, slowly wiping his hands on a piece of cloth.

"Are you seeing Adam Crawford in my kitchen, too?"

"Yeah."

"Whatever this is, this is some strong shit," the Latina continued, eyeing her glass of juice warily. Kurt decided it'd be best for him to just step right in and explain, before things got even weirder. He didn't need Adam thinking that his friends were insane. Well, more insane than they actually were.

"Santana, this is who I was with when you called," Kurt began weakly, feeling a migraine heading his way. In the end, there really weren't much else he could say, considering they clearly already knew who Adam was.

"What the hell is going on?" Santana asked, looking a lot calmer now. Now she just looked impatient.

"Guys, this is Adam Crawford. Dr. Crawford's son."

"Wait, so this is the hot son of the-" Sebastian began, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Sebastian!" Kurt interrupted loudly, wanting to keep it a secret that he was a patient of Adam's father. He had specifically requested that Dr. Crawford did the same, only to find that doctors were legally bound to keep that sort of information confidential anyway. Sebastian and Santana both understood immediately and pursed their lips, knowing that they were going to have to come back to the issue when the three of them were alone.

"You told him I was hot?" Adam asked with a lopsided grin, earning a sharp look from the smaller man.

"Adam!"

"OK, hold up. Just stop. Pause," Santana began, effectively gaining everyone's attention. She held a delicate finger up. " So you're telling me that you've been hanging out with Adam Crawford. _The_ Adam Crawford. And you didn't tell us."

"Umm..."

"Really, Hummel?"

"Uhh..."

"Santana, calm your tits," Sebastian interrupted. "I'm Sebastian Smythe. This right here is Santana Lopez."

"Adam Crawford."

"Mmm. Pleasure to meet you in real life. Now, why don't we all just sit down and let Kurt explain how he kept all this from who's supposed to be two of his closest friends?" Sebastian suggested with a promise of evil in his eyes. Kurt swallowed visibly. While he was quite a diva himself, he didn't hold a candle to the Sebastard-Satana duo at their worst.

The four of them sat around the dining table, with Sebastian and Santana watching Kurt with the exact same expression of 'you better start talking.'

"Well, Adam here decided to take a break and come back to visit his family, and as you know I'm staying there for the week. We naturally started hanging out and yeah, that's about it."

"Just hanging out?" Sebastian questioned with a raised eyebrow. He prided in having the best gaydar i the Western hemisphere, and as soon as he laid his eyes on Adam Crawford, he knew the singer wasn't as straight as he appeared to be on TV. Santana smirked, having picked up on it as well.

"Seb, Adam isn't gay," Kurt lied, fearing for Adam's public image. Sebastian eyed the singer with a gauging look, a slow smirk forming on his face.

"Hn. Really now."

"Sebastian!"

"Kurt, it's fine. I wouldn't want you to lie to your friends. I'm not ashamed of it," Adam began softly against Kurt's ear, and the action alone told the other two what they needed to know. Kurt watched the other warily, an unspoken debate raging in his head. Adam gently took Kurt's hand under the table and gave a soft squeeze.

"You're dating Adam Crawford?" Santana asked incredulously, crossing her arms against her chest. "When did this happen and when were you going to tell us?"

"I apologize. It was for me," Adam interrupted, turning to the Latina. "No one knows I'm gay. My PR makes sure of that and knowing Kurt, he wouldn't reveal that kind of information even to his own family and friends."

Sebastian and Santana exchanged an understanding look. It made sense. It was such a Kurt thing to do. He had always been vehemently agaist outing anyone against their will, if Karofsky was any indication. The jock made Kurt's life a living hell yet Kurt had let the boy stay in the closet. With that in mind, they couldn't even be angry anymore. Not that they were actually furious with him to begin with.

"So you two are really...?" Santana asked in a much quieter tone this time.

"I haven't asked him out officially, but I really,_ really _like Kurt."

"Oh. My. God..." Santana muttered, not sure whether to be smittened or disgusted. The way the two were exchanging these loving looks and communicating through their eyes were making her want to both hug them both and gauge her eyes out.

"Adam..." Kurt breathed, not entirely sure if his heart would be able to take how fast it was beating now.

"Alright," Santana begin, snapping her fingers to get their attention. She had it with the love bubble they were creating. "I'm going to do the friend speech now before we start lunch, just so I can get this over and done with. I'll go first and then Sebastian," Santana began, and Sebastian gave her an affirmative, curt nod.

"I'm from the part of town called Lima Heights Adjacent, and trust me, you don't want to know what kind of shit goes down there. Now here's the deal. You hurt my friend Kurt here, I'll cut both your balls off with a smile. You go."

"And I'll make whatever Santana does look like a nice walk in the park."

Santana and Sebastian high-fived each other quickly and stared at Adam with an expectant expression.

"I would never do anything to hurt him. You have my word," Adam spoke sincerely, with a hint of determination in his voice. The two friends seemed satisfied as they got off their chairs to continue with their meal preparation. Kurt gave Adam's hand a squeeze and smiled shyly. Everything was going so well. Almost too well, and while the old Kurt would have feared for the storm to arrive, the new Kurt currently sitting next to Adam Crawford couldn't care less.

0

Santana and Sebastian watched as the car left the driveway. Today had taken a drastic change from their original plan of just a simple lunch with friends. Of all the things that could have possibly happened, neither had expected someone so famous to show up next to Kurt. And they definitely did not expect the two to be so clearly infatuated with one another.

The two trekked back to the living room and plopped onto the couch. They knew exactly what was going on each other's minds. They had tried so hard to play the part of a fun-loving, supportive friend when all they had wanted to do was tell Adam to back off and leave Kurt alone.

"What are we gonna do?" Santana was the first to break the silence. "Adam Crawford? I mean, really? What the hell is he thinking? It might be all fun and games for him but...ugh! Damn it, I swear, if he just tosses Kurt aside once his little break is over, I'm going to hunt him down and make sure he can't function properly for the rest of his life."

"You know what bothers me?" Sebastian began in an uncharacteristically defeated voice. "The fact that he seems serious about the whole thing."

"I know...it's...ugh, seeing those two were like watching a Disney movie."

"Yeah...this is a mess."

"But god, did you_ see _Kurt's face? I've never seen him that happy. Ever."

Sebastian sighed at his friend's words and tilted his back against the couch. In the end, there wasn't much that either of them could do. Sure they could do their best to pick up the pieces if anything went wrong, but it'd kill them to see Kurt heartbroken. And they would never forgive Adam if he toyed with their friend's feelings, especially knowing how vulnerable Kurt was.

They were just going to have to keep their fingers crossed.

0

"So you're really going back tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess so."

It had already been almost a week since the two first saw each other, and Kurt's father had called only a few minutes ago to tell him that he'd be coming back to Lima the next morning. Kurt had missed his family, but he knew he was going to miss being able to see Adam the first thing in the morning and spend the entire day with him. As for the singer, he wanted so badly to keep Kurt around but knew it would be an unreasonable request.

"Do I get to see your family?" Adam asked, rolling over on his side so he could see Kurt better. The two were currently lying on Adam's bed, trying to digest the feast that Mrs. Crawford had prepared.

"Well, I did tell dad about you and he really wants to see you."

The two continued to lie in silence, with Adam idly stroking Kurt's arm, drawing soothing patterns every once in a while.

"Kurt..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to miss being able to see you all the time."

"...Me too," Kurt answered with a soft smile, trying his best to not let the disappointment and sadness show. How he became so attached to someone in less than a week, he didn't know. But it felt so right just lying next to Adam, feeling each others' presence and reading each others' eyes.

"I know I've already said this, but I'm really into you." Adam then propped himself on his elbows and swiftly pushed himself off the bed. "And I tried to wait till the perfect time, but I don't think I can hold it off any longer."

Kurt pulled himself up to a sitting position as well, suddenly feeling quite uneasy. What was Adam up to?

"You stay right there."

"Adam-"

"This probably sounds incredibly cheesy, but last night, as I lied in bed thinking about you, a song came to my head. And I wanted you to hear it," Adam began with a sheepish smile, reaching for his guitar.

After inhaling and exhaling deeply, his fingers began gliding gracefully across the instrument, each note played to perfection. And when he finally began singing, Kurt felt the entire world disappearing around him, save just him and Adam. The song enveloped him and whispered sweet words into his ears while at the same time shaking his very core.

There was so much sincerity in Adam's voice. It spoke of love and devotion. There was hope in the words, belief in what the two shared. And Kurt instinctively placed a hand over his heart when it began beating louder and faster with each passing second. He pushed down against his skin, willing it to calm down as the familiar pressure began building up inside. Yet he didn't want the song to ever end. And as he listened to the lyrics, how each word was dedicated to him, he couldn't help but think that Adam was it. Adam had been the person he had been waiting for his entire life.

When the song ended, Kurt dropped his hand to his laps, unable to utter a single word. There were so many thoughts and emotions running through him, yet nothing seemed to come out. He wanted to run up to Adam and wrap his arms around him. He wanted to thank him for such a beautiful gift. He wanted to do so many things, but all he could do was sit still in his seat, hoping that his chest would stop hurting so much.

"Kurt?" Adam began, concern evident in his voice. He placed his guitar aside and rushed to the other man, his hands placed gently on Kurt's knees. The singer looked up into the eyes now brimming with unspoken emotions and waited patiently.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered as Adam ran his thumbs over Kurt's knuckles.

"I wanted you to know how I felt every time I thought about you."

"Adam..."

"And I know that this all seems so fast, but with you, I don't need months, or weeks. You're the one for me, and I'm not telling you this to pressure you or because I want an answer from you. I just needed you to know that I want _this _with you for as long as you'll have me."

In that very moment, Kurt had every intention of telling Adam every ounce of the truth that he deserved to know. Yet the words died when he felt Adam's lips on his. The kiss was gentle yet passionate, so full of unspoken emotions, with promise of happiness that he had only dreamt of.

Kurt no longer knew if his heart had stopped beating or if it was beating faster. He couldn't feel anything but Adam. Nothing mattered anymore. _Reality_ no longer mattered. He needed Adam. And he wasn't about to let him go.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This one's going to be a bit short, sorry! Life is not on my side right now, but after Monday, I should have a lot more time to update :) **

* * *

The next morning, Kurt woke up again to the sound of Adam's guitar again. The melody was sweet, yet with enough hint of sadness for Kurt to know that the singer wasn't exactly his usual happy-go-lucky self. It was startling how much Adam put his emotions into his songs. Kurt mused that perhaps that's what made him such a praised artist.

Kurt hopped out of bed and checked himself in the mirror, grimacing at how terrible his hair looked. He tried to tame it with a brush but failed miserably, so he settled for running his fingers through it, in hopes that it'd become more of the sexy kind of messy bed hair than the current chaos. Then he dropped his hands and shook his head with a lopsided grin. Who was he kidding? Adam had seen him plenty of times before he had a chance to make himself look presentable and hadn't made a single comment on it.

Kurt didn't know why he was nervous as he slowly trekked into the hallway. There was Adam, strumming his guitar while sitting on the floor between his and Kurt's bedrooms. When Adam heard Kurt, he turned his head to flash one of his trademark smiles as his fingers continued to play. The smaller man quietly sat next to the other, letting the music do all the talking.

"Good morning, beautiful," Adam greeted in a voice still ridden with residual sleep as soon as the song was over. He leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on the other man's temple.

"Good morning," Kurt greeted back, letting the singer play with loose strands of his hair. He knew his hair was still a mess, but it seemed that Adam didn't care. In fact, he seemed quite pleased with being able to play with Kurt's hair without the fear of ruining the smaller man's usually impeccable do.

"I believe your father's due in a couple of hours."

"Yeah, it seems so."

"I was thinking that maybe I should kidnap you and keep you to myself," Adam continued with a playful grin, setting his guitar aside.

"Good luck with that. You won't be singing that tune once you see him in person."

"Mm, I'm willing to take on anything if it means I get to see you more."

"Well, I need you in one piece so no kidnapping me," Kurt replied with a smile, knowing fully well how his father would react. The sentiment was still sweet, though. Adam Crawford seemed to always have a way of making him laugh.

"Promise you'll still make time for me?"

"Promise."

0

Burt Hummel took an immediate liking to Adam Crawford. In the few minutes the two spent chatting casually as he picked his son up, he could see that Adam was a well-mannered, fine young man. He had heard from Kurt that Adam was a famous singer (the name hadn't rang any bell since he didn't follow pop culture at all) but the boy was surprisingly humble and down to Earth. He should've expected it, considering how wonderful the Crawfords were. It seemed that being likeable was a trait that ran thickly in the family name.

With the promise of inviting Adam for a Hudmel dinner, he left the house with his son trailing behind. Adam waved him good-bye, resisting the urge to plant one last kiss. He knew that Kurt wanted to keep their relationship a secret so he held himself back. He personally didn't care who knew, but he did care how Kurt felt, and if Kurt wanted it a secret, he was going make sure it stayed as one.

Even after Burt's car was no longer in sight, Adam stood still in the patio. How was it possible that he missed Kurt already? It had been less than a minute and he wanted to see Kurt's smiling face again. It was crazy, and he had no problem admitting it. He knew it was irrational, how much he had fallen for the smaller man in the span of less than a week. And while he had never been a believer of love at first, he now had no choice but to believe in soulmates.

It was as if Kurt owned a part of him that he had unknowingly been looking for his entire life. He would never be able to return to what he was before meeting Kurt, and by some God-given miracle, Kurt had reciprocated his feelings. They were together, they had each other, and Adam was willing to do anything to keep it that way.

Back at his home, Kurt entered his room and smiled at the familiarity of it all. While there was no question that Dr. and Mrs. Crawford had been more than accommodating and that their house was beautiful, he had missed his own room. There really was no place like home.

Carol and Finn arrived the next morning, and soon, the house was back to what it had been. Loud, busy, yet homely. Finn, having heard about Adam as well had a million questions to ask, most which Kurt ignored. Luckily, it seemed that Santana and Sebastian hadn't spilled the beans about the budding relationship, because Finn didn't seem to be suspecting a thing. As far as Finn was informed, Adam was straight as an arrow and was dating just about every hot women in Hollywood.

That evening, Santana and Sebastian practically kidnapped Kurt from his own home. Burt and Carol, of course, had no problem with watching their son being dragged out of his room into Sebastian's car. Carol even handed Santana a bag of homemade cookies to enjoy during their hangout.

Burt and Carol always encouraged the three to spend time together. They remembered how Kurt had been only a year ago. He had practically locked himself up in his room, refusing to answer his phone or leave the house to see anyone. It had taken a lot of effort on Santana and Sebastian's part to have Kurt open up to anyone again. And with time, the three grew inseparable, and that was one thing the two parents were sincerely grateful for.

"So you and Adam."

"Are we seriously going to do this again?" Kurt asked with a huff, giving Santana a pointed look.

"What? Friends can't talk about boyfriends now?"

"Look, if you brought me here to tell me that I should break it off-"

"Calm down, Lady gay gay. I think you two make a really cute couple. A bit sickening, but still cute."

"Is this some sort of a mind game?"

"When have I ever _not _told you like how it is?"

Kurt eyed his friend warily but not being able to come up with a retort. Santana had a point. Both Sebastian and Santana did not practice the art of filtering what came out of their mouths. Just then, Sebastian entered the living room after having changed into something comfortable.

"So are you guys official now?" Sebastian asked, plopping onto the empty space on the couch next to Kurt. The smaller man blushed and stared at his finger. It was so weird talking to his friends about anything remotely romantic.

"Well...he did ask me out a couple of nights ago."

"And?"

"What do you _think _he said," Santana quipped with a roll of her eyes. "Did you not see Adam? I would give up tits for that guy."

"Santana!"

"What? It's a compliment. You bagged one of the hottest guys on the planet. You should be flattered."

"She's right. I'd let him do me, and we all know I don't bend over for just anyone."

"You guys are impossible," Kurt muttered, pinching the bridge of nose and shaking his head in dismay. He sometimes had to ask himself why they were friends in the first place.

"So when are you seeing him next?" Santana asked, ignoring the look on her friend's face.

"I dunno. I mean, hopefully soon."

"Have you guys done the dirty yet?"

"Santana! What is_ wrong _with you?"

"I think that was a legit question," Sebastian added, earning a satisfied smirk from the Latina. "I'm curious, too."

"You guys, I-" Kurt began but stopped abruptly.

Both Santana and Sebastian turned to face Kurt, knowing instinctively that something was wrong. Kurt had come to a complete halt, his mouth still parted and his eyes wide in panic.

"Kurt?" Sebastian called out, placing a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. "Kurt!" He tried again, much more forcefully, when he got no response. Then in a blink of an eye, before either of them had a chance to react, Kurt was on the floor with a loud thud, clutching at the fabric over his heart.

"Kurt!" Santana screeched, running up to her friend, her hands frantically shaking Kurt's shoulders. She continued to yell his name, watching helplessly as Kurt screamed silently in pain. Sebastian immediately pulled his phone out and dialed 911, barely managing to keep his voice leveled enough to speak to the operator. His hands were shaking, and his calm voice sounded even foreign to his ears.

When Sebastian hung up, he hardly registered the frantic shouting of Santana as he kneeled down next to Kurt lying unconscious on the floor.

0


	8. Chapter 8

0

White ceiling. Constant beeping. The smell of disinfectant.

Kurt immediately recognized where he was.

How did he end up here though? Oh yeah, he was talking to Santana and Sebastian and then...

Shoot. Where were they?

Kurt turned his head around gingerly, grimacing at the dull pain reminding him of the current state he was in. It was like this every single damn time. The attack would be so painful that it'd leave him wanting to die. Then he'd wake up to white ceiling and be reminded of everything that went wrong with his life. Sometimes, he wanted to give up on everything. Sometimes, he would cling onto every ounce of will to live. Today, he wasn't sure.

He felt hot tears pooling around his eyes. He had promised himself that he wouldn't crying every time it happened, but he couldn't help it sometimes. It was so damn unfair. He had never done anything so wrong in his life that he deserved this. No one currently in his life deserved to suffer with him, and he hated himself even more for letting it happen.

"Kurt!"

Kurt blinked furiously to keep the tears at bay as he watched Santana run into the room with Sebastian following closely behind.

"Hey," Kurt croaked and grimaced at his own voice. He sounded as terrible as he felt. "How long have I been out?"

"Just a few hours," Sebastian answered quietly, noticing how Santana was having a hard time keeping her own tears from spilling out. Her lips were drawn into a thin line, her jaws clenched tightly, and Sebastian placed a gentle hand on her shoulder in understanding. He wanted to cry just as badly, but he was just better at concealing his emotions than she was.

"Does...dad know?" Kurt asked warily.

"...Yeah. He just went out to call Carole."

"Why would you tell him?" Kurt hissed angrily, his eyes burning suddenly. The last thing he needed right now was his family freaking out again - especially his dad, who still blamed himself for his condition. When Burt heard Kurt's diagnosis for the first time, he had broken down and cried, telling Kurt that he was sorry. Kurt, at the time, hadn't understood what his father had done wrong, so he had wrapped his trembling arms around him and cried with him.

It was only much later that Kurt figured out why his father had blamed himself. Burt himself had a heart-attack only a couple of years before Kurt was diagnosed, and he had immediately concluded that he had passed down the genes to his son. That he was responsible for Kurt's condition. And every single time he looked at Kurt, watched his son swallow the pills or stare out the window longingly, he was overcome with guilt that suffocated him to this day. He tried his best not to show it, for the sake of the entire family, but sometimes, it got difficult. No matter how much Kurt would tell him it wasn't his fault, deep inside, he believed it was, and it killed him inside.

And as for Kurt, he may not have talked to his father about it explicitly, but he knew what his father was going through. So he had tried to smile, crack jokes, make it not seem like a big deal, even if that meant crying alone in the showers.

"Kurt..." Sebastian began carefully at Kurt's outburst. He knew that Kurt shouldn't get worked up, especially not under his current state, but he didn't know how to diffuse the situation. Sure, he could've covered for Kurt, but it wouldn't have been the right thing to do. Burt would find out sooner or later, and frankly, he believed both Burt and Carole deserved to know that their son was hospitalized. There was just no excuse in the world to explain how Kurt wouldn't be contactable for over 24 hours.

"Why would you do that, Sebastian! He doesn't need to know!"

"Are you-" Sebastian began angrily but stopped himself. He balled his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. It wouldn't do both of them any good to fight now. "Kurt, he's you father," he continued in a much quieter voice, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I know that!" Kurt shot back angrily, fighting the tears. "You don't think I know that?"

"He needs to know," Sebastian answered stiffly.

"No he doesn't!"

"Yes, he does."

"Why? So he can blame himself all over again?"

Sebastian stilled at the words as Santana inhaled sharply besides him. There was so much hurt in Kurt's eyes now, that he didn't know what to say anymore. He was well aware of the situation with Burt, and he was so close to feeling guilty about having called him, but he refused to think he had made a mistake.

"Kurt. Why don't you get some rest. We'll be back later," he continued in a much more subdued voice as he motioned for Santana to follow him outside. Kurt watched his friends' retreating figures and closed his eyes in frustration.

As soon as they were a few rooms down, Sebastian punched the nearest wall, no longer able to contain his anger. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but seeing Kurt in so much pain, so pale and lifeless...the image wouldn't leave his head and had haunted him so many nights. Sebastian was furious, and it wasn't just because Kurt was subjected to something so terrifying. It was also because Kurt tried so hard to keep everything to himself. He kept telling them he was OK, but no one was fooled.

Sebastian was getting sick and tired of the bullshit game they were all playing. Everyone smiling, pretending that everything was going to work out. It made him sick to his stomach. Nothing was OK. None of this was acceptable. The truth was that everything about this situation sucked, and there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do to fix it.

Santana didn't even flinch when Sebastian nearly created a hole through the hospital wall. She was too numb to react to the sound or the action. She couldn't get the image out of her head. How she had frantically called out for his name and desperately searched for his pulse. It jarred her in a way that she never imagined possible, no matter how many times she'd seen it. Just a few minutes ago, when she saw Kurt alive and awake, she wanted to just break down and cry, never mind her reputation as the bitch queen of Lima with heart made of ice. Yet, she held herself back, knowing what it would do to Kurt, and when the arguing began, she found herself standing in utter silence, not able to get a word in. Because really, what could she possibly say in that situation?

So many thoughts were going through her head now. It wasn't that she didn't understand where Kurt was coming from. She wouldn't want her family to worry if she was in the same situation. And knowing Kurt, of course he'd keep it to himself, no matter how much it killed him inside.

Kurt Hummel was just an idiot like that, and she loved the idiot too much to see him like this.

0

Burt didn't know what to do. He tried to look composed. He had even washed his face with ice cold water to conceal the evidence of having cried alone in the bathroom stall. He wasn't ashamed of crying, of course not. But he didn't want Kurt or his friends to see. He knew how the three were. It'd break their hearts, especially his son's, and he refused to let that happen.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror and grimaced. He looked terrible. He tried smiling, but it was nowhere near persuasive. He exhaled slowly and tried again. He had to be stronger for his son. He had to push the doctor's words aside and just smile. Show his son that everything will be alright even if everyone told them otherwise.

After straightening himself up, Burt made his way to where his son was, ignoring the stab of pain in his chest as he neared the room. He'd never get used to seeing his son in a hospital gown, looking so lifeless. In fact, it only got worse, especially with how increasingly frequent these attacks were becoming.

"Hey kiddo," he began cheerily, his voice sounding fake even to his own ears. Kurt turned to face him, and Burt noticed immediately the telltale signs of crying. He clenched his jaws a couple of times to keep his emotions at bay.

"Hey dad..."

"The doc says he's gonna keep you around till tomorrow, just in case. Anything I can get ya?"

"The newest issue of Vogue should be out today," Kurt replied with a weak smile. The two immediately fell into the familiar pattern of pretending as if his lying on his hospital bed was no big deal. It was the only coping mechanism they knew.

"Is that that one fashion thing that you always bring home?"

"Yes dad, that one fashion thing."

"I love you kiddo, but I'm not about to be caught buyin' that thing, but I'll make Carole do it."

Kurt giggled at the playful response as Burt chuckled lowly.

"Dad," he began quietly once the laughter died down.

"Yeah?"

"You know I love you, right? Like a lot?"

"...And I love you, too, kiddo. More than you can imagine."

0

12 missed calls and even more panic-stricken texts from Adam.

Kurt groaned.

He had spent the night at the hospital, and by the time he was discharge, it was almost 4 in the afternoon. His phone had died over the course of his stay, and when he did turn it back on, he was faced with evidences of Adam nearly losing his mind with worry. Once back in his room, he decided to call Adam back, and he hardly got two rings before he other picked up.

"Kurt!"

He jumped at the sudden voice. It sounded frantic, and Kurt immediately felt guilty.

"Hey, Adam, sorry about-"

"I was worried sick! Are you alright? Is everything OK? Where are you?"

"Adam, Adam! Everything's fine. I was over at Sebastian's for a sleepover and my phone sort of malfunctioned and now I'm home."

"...Oh. I'm sorry for freaking out on you. I...I just had this strange gut feeling that something horrible had happened to you and when you didn't return any of my text or calls..."

"I know, I'm sorry. But I'm fine, I promise."

There was a brief silence before Adam began again.

"I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

"Would it be too much if I drove to see you right now?"

Kurt bit his lower lip. He wanted to see Adam so badly, but at the same time, he didn't think he was physically or emotionally ready for it.

"A little bit," Kurt replied, trying to keep his voice playful. "I just have some things to take care of today, but how about tomorrow?"

"Fine, fine. If you must. Now I'm going to write a sad song because my _boyfriend_ won't let me see him."

Kurt's breath hitched at the word. He was still trying to get used to the concept of being in an official relationship, not that he was complaining.

"Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"Everything's alright, right?"

"...Of course. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can't wait."

Kurt smiled as he placed his phone back on the bed then frowned, wondering if he should've agreed to let Adam come over. He missed the singer terribly and wanted nothing more than to have Adam hold him in his arms. He needed the physical connection, the reminder that Adam really was there for him.

Kurt sighed and buried his face into his hands.

Why was he was playing such a dangerous game? It was so utterly selfish of him to pull Adam into the mess that was his life. It was already bad that his family, Santana and Sebastian had to suffer with him, but Adam? He should've given Adam the opportunity to back out. No, he should've made sure Adam never became a part of his life from the way beginning.

But it seemed that all logic kept being thrown out the window when Adam was involved.

0

"Finn, we just had dinner," Kurt began as he watched his step-brother stuffing his face with a king-sized bag of chips right after having enough dinner to feed a family of four. It was a long-standing mystery of Lima how Finn wasn't at least 200 pounds overweight.

"Come on, it's dessert," Finn answered with a mouthful, making Kurt cringe. "How was sleepover?"

"Same old," Kurt answered, pretending to watch whatever was on TV. A year back, he had made both Burt and Carole promise him that Finn not be notified of his emergency trips to the hospital. It wasn't as if Finn didn't know of his condition - Kurt wasn't stupid enough to think that he could get away with keeping his step-brother in the dark for very long - but Kurt was going to spare him the suffering for as long as possible. Finn could hate him all he wants later, but for now, Finn couldn't know.

"Your phone's ringing," Finn began, pointing at Kurt's pocket

"Oh." Kurt realized that he was so deep in thought that he didn't even hear the loud music of his phone. After checking to see that it was his boyfriend, he swiftly got off the couch and headed straight to his room. Clearing his throat a couple of times, he answered.

"Hey you," Kurt began, finding himself smiling from ear to ear.

"Hey, love. Can you talk?"

"Mmmhmm."

"What are you up to?"

"Just in my room. Not doing much. You?"

"Thinking about how much I miss you."

"You're impossible!" Kurt replied giddily, unable to suppress his giggle. He plopped onto his bed and lied down.

"The stars are beautiful out. You should take a look."

"My room's in the basement."

"Time to take a walk outside then."

"Seriously?"

"Come on, love. I want to star-gaze with you."

"Well, when you put it that way...Give me a minute," Kurt began and shuffled to his feet. After mouthing to Finn that he was going outside for a minute, he walked out the front door. He looked up to the sky and squinted, not seeing much. It wasn't even a sunny day, so he didn't see what Adam had been on about.

"Adam, I'm not seeing the stars."

"What? Not even _one_?"

"Not a single one. Are you sure you're still in Ohio?"

Kurt heard laughter on the other line.

"Mm, well there should be a star right behind you."

"Huh?"

Kurt turned around uncertainly and almost dropped his phone when he saw Adam standing with a cheeky grin.

"OK, before you say anything, I admit that the star joke was terrible," the singer began, taking a step forward. "And I promise I'm not actually that vain."

"Adam! What are you doing here?" Kurt asked, still looking confused. Adam wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist.

"To see you, of course. Why else?"

"Oh, you're tricky."

"Kurt...are you sure you're alright?" Adam asked carefully as he cupped the smaller man's cheeks. "You don't look so well."

"Just tired. You know how sleep-overs can get," Kurt lied, hating that he had to do it but knowing it was for the best. Adam sighed, not entirely persuaded, but decided to not push the issue.

"Did you have a good time, though?"

"Yeah, Just the same old gossiping and insulting each other. What about you? What have you been up to?"

"Nothing much. Tried to get some songs written and failed miserably. It's official. I need you around for inspiration if I'm going to ever get a complete tracklist for my next album."

Kurt giggled as Adam leaned forward and tucked a lock of his loose hair behind his ear.

"Mm, I dunno, I'm a very busy man," Kurt murmured playfully, a lopsided grin on his face.

"Is that so," the singer drawled, taking Kurt's hand and placing a lingering kiss on palm and trailing his lips to the inside of his wrist. Kurt watched, mesmerized by the sensation and the way Adam's lips moved slowly along his own skin.

"Is there any way," Adam continued, leaning forward even closer and latching his lips onto the smaller man's jawline. Kurt inhaled sharply and shuddered at the foreign touch. "That I can persuade you otherwise?" the singer whispered huskily against the brunette's ear.

"I dunno...maybe..." Kurt breathed, his fingers instinctively reaching out to take a handful of Adam's shirt.

"Name your price, Kurt Hummel," Adam continued, placing a chaste kiss on the corner of his new boyfriend's mouth before staring into his eyes with a cheeky grin.

"Adam," Kurt began nervously, playing with the fabric still in his hands. "I'm going to miss you so much when you leave."

"No, no, no. Don't you dare think about that now," Adam chastised gently, tapping the tip of Kurt's nose with his index finger. "What matters is that we're together, no matter where we are. And I promise I'll make it work."

"But-"

"Shhh, now, can we talk about something else? Like how I have a surprise for you tomorrow if you're free? And no, you're not allowed to ask me what it is, especially with that pouty, puppy-dog look you do, because that's just not fair."

Kurt stuck his lower lip out and looked up through his lashes. Adam covered his eyes with his hands immediately.

"NO! Don't you dare!"

"Fine, fine, I promise not to make the face," Kurt replied with a giggle, gently prying Adam's hands away. And with a determined expression and with boldness he never knew he possessed, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on Adam's lips. And when he tried to pull back, he felt Adam's hands cupping his cheeks and pulling him in closer.

And as the kiss deepened, Kurt prayed and prayed that his heart would stop beating so quickly.

0


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: My computer's back! Thank you so much for your patience and your wonderful reviews. And the answer to a question by SmokingJazz - Adam's parents do not know about their relationship. Only Santana and Sebastian do.**

**Oh, and just a head's up, it gets a bit angsty. Hope you enjoy and let me know your thoughts and questions!**

* * *

Kurt stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was done to perfection, not a strand out of place. His outfit really accentuated his eyes and his figure, which he was glad for. Yet, the immaculate physical appearance did nothing to calm his nerves. Adam had arrived 20 minutes early for their surprise date, claiming that he was too eager to just wait at home, and the singer was now conversing with Finn, who was more than happy to entertain the celebrity guest.

When Kurt entered the living room, Adam was lounging on the couch next to his step brother, laughing at Finn's ridiculous attempt at humor. As Kurt watched Adam lull his head back and let out a good-natured laugh, he felt the familiar butterflies in his stomach again. It was almost ridiculous how something so simple could make Kurt so giddy, and he couldn't help but wondered if Adam felt the same way every time he smiled or giggled.

Judging from his step-brother's expression, Adam was doing a marvelous job of charming the other man. It was almost alarmingly how likeable the singer was, and not because of his fame. He was a generally very affable individual with an air of optimistic and free-spirit that attracted everyone around him. He was well-mannered without being stuffy. In fact, Adam was quite playful and teasing when he wanted to, with enough British sarcasm and wit to be interesting. And clearly, all members of the Hudmel household were not immune to such charm. He was getting along spectacularly with Burt and Carole as well, and the thought made Kurt oddly proud.

"I'm ready," Kurt announced finally, and the two men on the couch turned around. Finn had a dopey grin on his face, while Adam wore a warm smile that reminded Kurt just how much he was being loved by the singer.

"Good seein' ya, man," Finn began clapping a hand over the singer's shoulder as Adam made his way around the couch. "I'll see you around."

"Lovely meeting you as well, Finn. Now, I'm going to have to kidnap your brother."

"Yeah, well don't bring him alone too late. Burt gets all antsy."

"I'll definitely keep that in mind."

"Cool."

Initially, Kurt had been quite wary of leaving the two together. It was a well-known fact that Finn had as much verbal filter as Sebastian. The only difference being that Finn never meant any harm while Sebastian had no problem voicing his opinions, no matter how politically incorrect the statement may be. Yet, it seemed that Finn had stayed on his best behavior and hadn't let anything slip. Kurt promised himself that he'd bake Finn those cookies he loved so much later as a token of unspoken appreciation.

"I see that you two are getting along quite well," Kurt mentioned as the two made their way towards Adam's car.

"I like your brother," the singer replied, opening the door for Kurt.

"Uh oh. Should I be worried?" Kurt joked as he climbed into the car. Adam leaned forward and pecked the smaller man's cheek.

"I'm afraid he's not my type."

"Yeah? Then what _is_ your type?"

"Kurt Hummel."

"That's not a type."

"It totally is."

"You're impossible."

Kurt couldn't help that his eyes kept drifting towards Adam as they made their way to some secret destination. He, Kurt Hummel, and Adam Crawford were officially a couple. They were together. They were an item. They were boyfriends. They held hands, kissed, cuddled against one another. He couldn't believe it even as he watched the man next to him turn a smooth corner.

Adam was so perfect for him, to the point where Kurt began to think that he was making all this up in his head. On more than one occasion, Kurt wondered if Adam Crawford was just a hallucination, the result of his fervent wish to not be so damn lonely. Or maybe he had gotten in some sort of an accident and was actually in a coma and having a very long dream. Yet Adam would touch him, whisper against his ears, kiss him and hold him tightly, reminding Kurt that he was in fact real.

"So where are we going?" Kurt asked, trying to start up a conversation instead of stealing quick glances like some creeper.

"I told you, it's a surprise!"

"Adam..."

"I promise, nothing dodgy."

"Dodgy?"

"Bad, shady, inappropriate."

"Is that a British thing?"

"Uh huh. And we're here," Adam informed with a grin as he parked into an empty lot. Kurt looked out the window and cocked his head in confusion. He hadn't been paying that much attention to the road so he didn't even have the faintest idea where they were. All he saw was a building that seemed completely unoccupied, with most of the lights off.

"If you're planning on some drug trade-"

"Kurt, I'd never do that to you. Just come with. I promise it'll be good."

0

"Are we...?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god, we _are_," Kurt exclaimed breathlessly as he looked around the recording studio. Well, at least he was fairly_ sure _it was one, if movies were anything to go by. He ran his fingers across the complex set of buttons and panels in awe, carefully not to push anything accidentally. He had always dreamt of being in a recording studio, had wondered what it'd be like to stand in the booth, singing into the microphone.

"How did you even?" Kurt asked, turning to his boyfriend with his eyes still wide in awe.

"Let's just say that this is one of the perks of being famous," Adam replied, dangling the keys he had used to get into the room. Unlike him, Adam seemed at compete ease as he slid onto one of the many chairs placed around the room. Of course. He was the Adam Crawford. He probably logged more hours at a recording studio in the last couple of years than Kurt had spent at the mall.

"What are we even doing here?"

Adam grinned in return, enjoying the way his boyfriend was almost vibrating in excitement, with a hint of concern. He had been right about his decision to bring Kurt to the studio. He could see so clearly in Kurt's eyes how much he had wanted this. And while he was not a fan of using his celebrity status to his advantage, he was willing to overlook it gladly if it was going to make his boyfriend happy.

He had contacted his manager for anywhere in Ohio he could book, and the task in itself didn't prove to be much of a challenge. Only a couple of phone calls on his manager's end and he found himself with a key in his hand. He had lied and said that he really wanted to get some songs recorded with his newfound inspiration, and his manager accepted the lie without a moment of hesitation, as he was well-aware of Adam's dedication to his music.

"_We_ are going to record a song together," Adam answered finally and bit back a laugh when the smaller man's jaws dropped.

"What!?" Kurt squeaked, his hands already covering his mouth in surprise.

"And not just any song. I wrote a song last night," Adam continued as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "And I was hoping we could practice and then sing together. I've already recorded everything else, now I just need our voices. Just you and me. Right here."

"Oh my god...Adam..."

"So will you do it? Please say yes."

"I...I mean..."

Kurt bit his lower lip, the flood of excitement in his system suddenly drained. He had been so caught up in the moment he had forgotten that he had given up singing. And for a good reason too. It was too painful. He was playing with fire with being in the studio, and now Adam was giving him the opportunity to actually record something. It was a tempting offer, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to face the consequences.

"Kurt, I know you told me you weren't into singing, but I don't think that's true. If you ask me, I think you actually love singing but won't do it for whatever reason."

It was almost frightening how well Adam had him figured out. All his family and friends knew how much he loved singing. He was the happiest when he performed. Music had been the only thing that kept him together during high school when the bullying became too much to handle. It was that beacon of light that reminded him that there a bigger dream waiting for him as soon as he was out of Lima. That was, until it was ripped away from him without so much as a warning. He missed it. Everyone, he himself included, knew that. So it scared him to sing again, because it'd be a reminder of what he could never be.

"Just one song," Adam repeated, his voice almost pleading. He leaned back against the panels and brought the smaller man closer.

As he looked into Adam's eyes, Kurt began to think that may be he was ready to start singing again. Perhaps he didn't need to give up on something he loved so dearly. And Adam was right here in front of him, giving him the chance to hear what they'd sound like together. Everything he had done so far with Adam had been magical, almost unbelievably so, and he had considered singing together the most intimate act of love, so why was he even hesitating?

He _wanted_ this with Adam. He wanted something permanent to remind him of his special bond he and Adam shared. This was his chance to create something to hold onto until the very end.

Something to remain in this world even if he was no longer a part of it

"One song," Kurt whispered, trying his best to keep the tears at bay. He hated that he was being so damn emotional right now, but he couldn't help it. It was as if years of suppressing his urge to sing and dance again was finally catching up to him. Adam looked puzzled as he leaned in closer, his thumb now gently brushing against Kurt's pale cheek.

"What's wrong, love? You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No, don't worry. I'm just...nervous I guess. Never sang in an actual recording studio before," Kurt lied, forcing a smile on his face. Adam didn't seem all too convinced, but he nodded anyway. Instead, he guided the smaller man into the booth with the lyrics in his hand.

"I'll sing it once through and we can work on it together, yeah?"

"Sounds great."

"OK, here we go," the singer began as he picked up the guitar lying next to him (Kurt realized that the instrument wasn't the one he always played back at home). He sat crosslegged and began strumming, casually tuning the instrument.

Kurt listened carefully as Adam began singing, and as the words came together, Kurt immediately knew that the song was a representation of what they had. It spoke of the small jokes they shared, the little things they did together. It sang of Kurt's eyes, the way he sounded when he laughed. It was a confession of how much Adam needed Kurt in his life, how much they meant to each other. It was a promise of unspoken eternity and devotion.

When the song finished, Kurt found tears trailing down his cheeks. He hadn't even realized that he had started crying until Adam was brushing them away, the guitar now lying abandoned on his laps.

"Kurt..." Adam began softly, concern evident in his eyes. "Love, talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Adam. It's perfect. The song's perfect," Kurt replied in a watery voice, wrapping his arms around the other man and burying his face in the crook of his neck. Adam returned the embrace, drawing soothing patterns on his boyfriend's back with his hand.

"I want you to sing it with me. I've uh..highlighted your part."

"'kay. I'm ready."

Kurt cleared his throat a couple of times nervously. It had been so long since he had actually sang a song out loud, and a part of him was afraid that he might have lost it altogether. And really, he wanted to do the song justice. He wanted this to be his best performance yet, because this was so personal, so special.

The song started again, and Adam began singing his part as Kurt followed along with the lyrics in his hands. While the singer had grown used to listening to Kurt's speaking voice, nothing had prepared for him for Kurt's singing. Adam was so completely mesmerized by the ethereal beauty of the voice that he found himself staring at the other in silence, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be singing the next line.

"Um...Adam?" Kurt interrupted the singer's reverie. "I think this is your part..."

"I'm sorry. Wow, I'm sorry. I just...Kurt, you have a wonderful voice. No, wonderful's not the right word. I can't...I can't even. Kurt! How could you not sing with a voice like this!" Adam asked incredulously, taking hold of Kurt's shoulders. "Christ, Kurt. You...you already amaze me in so many ways, and now this!"

Kurt blushed furiously and played with the hem of his shirt. He was used to praises; he had received plenty of them from individuals both in and outside of New Directions, but the way Adam was complimenting him affected him a lot more strongly. He didn't know quite what to do with himself as he continued to listen to his boyfriend go on about how beautiful his voice was.

"I want to kiss you so badly right now," Adam whispered, leaning forward. Instead of answering, Kurt closed the distance between the two. Their lips met for a brief moment before Adam pulled back with a gentle smile and placed his forehead against the smaller man's.

"I'm going to stop now, because I really want to finish the song with you.

"Me too."

0

"Here's your copy. And this right here, is mine."

Kurt took the CD case and ran his fingertips across it. It was strange, knowing that their voices would be inside. That he could listen to it over and over again to remind himself of what he and Adam shared. He could relive the memories of today as much as he wanted, and the thought sent a warm sensation through his body. He placed the CD close to his chest and looked up to meet Adam's beautiful blue eyes.

"Now, I promised your father I'd drop you back off as soon as we're done here."

"You talked to my dad? When?"

"Actually, I talked to your brother, who told me that your father told him to tell me to drop you off right after."

"Wow, that was confusing."

"And I don't think I want to anger my boyfriend's dad," Adam continued with a grin, taking Kurt's hand into his. Kurt rolled his eyes but laughed, letting himself be pulled out of the studio. He was so happy right now. There was just no other way to describe how he was feeling. He was just so, _so_ happy right now.

0

Kurt was home for less than an hour when Santana decided to pay him a surprise visit.

"I think we should all hang out."

Kurt looked up to see Santana watching him with her typical "you don't actually have a say in the matter" expression. He put the latest copy of Vogue down besides him as he stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"You, Seb, me and your new boytoy."

"First of all, he's not my boytoy...he's my..._boyfriend_. And no."

"Why not? Are you ashamed of me?" she replied, placing a hand over her chest dramatically.

"Yes. And I don't trust you around Adam."

"You have two options. You either call your boytoy right now and ask him to join us for dinner tomorrow, or Sebastian and I go and personally escort him, in which case I can't guarantee I'll keep my mouth shut about a _lot _of things."

"Are you seriously threatening me right now?"

"I prefer to call it encouragement."

"Santana..."

"Relax, Lady Hummel. It's not like we're out to ruin your relationship. We just want to get to know the guy that somehow bagged our best friend," Santana continued in a softer tone as she plopped onto the couch next to Kurt, making sure not to sit on the magazine. She had done it once, just to have Kurt flip out on her, and she really didn't need another episode of Kurt's bitch fits.

Kurt bit his lower lip and stared at his feet, now outstretched in front of him. He knew that Santana and Sebastian both had his best interest at heart and that they truly cared about him, but what if they let something slip? He couldn't have Adam find out, not yet at least.

"And since we're on the topic..." she began, shifting her body so that she was facing her friend. "You haven't told him, have you."

"Tell him what?" Kurt whispered, dropping his gaze even lower.

"Nice try. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"...Fine. No. No I haven't."

"Are you going to?"

"...No. I mean, maybe? I don't know."

"Kurt, I think he has the right to know."

"Can we not talk about this right now?"

"I think we need to talk about this."

"Santana, just drop it, alright? It's not like...this is a permanent thing."

"What are you talking about," Sanatana asked after a brief pause, a harsh frown on her face.

"I may be sick, but I'm not stupid. Adam's going to go back and it's obviously not going to work out. I just..."

"I'm going to stop you right there, for your sake, because I'm so close to slapping you across the face. Both forehand _and _backhand."

Kurt stared at his friend, mouth agape.

"You like this guy," Santana began but paused as she watched Kurt drop his head. "Oh my god, you _love _him. Oh, jeez. I so should've seen this coming..." Santana muttered under her breath, covering her face with both her hands.

"I, I don't...I mean, I..."

"Let me just stop you from wasting both our time. You love him, I think we both know that. And you know what my general outlook on anything remotely lovey dovey is, and honestly, I derive more pleasure in sabotaging other people's relationships than engaging one of my own. But here's the thing, my psychic Mexican third eye's telling me that Adam's a good guy, and honestly, I'm sure he's in love with you as well. It's disgusting the way two you look at each other, but I'm willing to overlook all that because he seems to make you genuinely happy."

"Where is this going?"

"That's why I think you should tell him. And please don't make me go on about how all relationships should be founded on mutual trust and blah blah."

"I can't tell him!"

"Why not?"

"What, am I supposed to walk up to him and go, hey Adam, I'm in love with you and all so I think you should know that I'm probably going to die soon. And oh, if I pass out in front of you, just relax, call 911, and if you're not sure, call your own dad. Because he's my doctor and will tell you all about how your boyfriend probably has less than a year left! Is that what you want me to say to him?"

Kurt didn't even realize he was yelling until he registered Santana's expression of utter shock, but he didn't care. He couldn't contain the anger anymore. He was so sick of what he was forced to deal with. All he wanted was just a shot at experiencing love, just like any other person. He wanted to believe in eternal love. He wanted to plan a wedding for himself, had plans to adopt children to raise with his future husband. But as fate would have it, he'd never be allowed any of it, and he was sick of people trying to ruin this once-in-a-lifetime chance to finally get a glimpse of what it's like to be in love.

"I'm not dragging him into this. I'm just giving myself until the end of this...break. That's it."

"That's it? Really? Really, Kurt Hummel?"

"You don't know what it's like!" Kurt yelled even louder, ignoring the burning sensation in his eyes.

"No, I don't know what it's like, but I know you. I know Kurt Hummel. I know you've been looking for someone like Adam your entire life. And fine, I'll admit, I wanted you to break it off. I was so close to telling you to just..not see the guy anymore, risking losing our friendship or whatever. Because you know what? I care about you. I care about you so fuckin' much and I can't stand seeing you get hurt. And not just because you're sick. It's because you're my friend. But then I see you with him, and the way you two look at each other. I just knew that you two were meant to be," Santana paused her rant and inhaled sharply. "He deserves to know, so he'll be ready for..." she faltered, the horror of what she was about to say finally catching up to her. She felt sick. And she felt worse when she caught Kurt watching her with his arms lying limp to his sides.

"Say it, Santana."

"No, I didn't-"

"_Say it_!" Kurt yelled angrily, his hands now balled up into fists. He was trembling now and didn't care how much damage he was doing to his body this precise moment.

"How do you expect _Adam_ to stick around when you can't even say it out loud!"

"What's going on here?"

Both Santana and Kurt turned around to face Finn standing in the entrance of the living room, looking both confused and angry at whatever was happening.

"Santana here can't even say out loud that I'm going to_ die _soon," Kurt spat venomously, ignoring the look of utter shock on Finn's face.

"Don't say that!" Finn yelled, equally upset. It wasn't that he didn't know about Kurt's condition. If anything, he was too aware of it, having seen first-hand how much it broke his step-brother and the rest of the family. He was there when Kurt locked himself up in his room, cried alone when he thought everyone else was asleep. He was there at the hospital next to Kurt lying lifeless on the bed. Yet he refused to face the ugly truth. He couldn't bring himself to accept it, especially when he had to see Kurt every day.

"Oh what, you're in denial too? Am I the only person who's aware that I'm-"

"Stop it!" Finn yelled even louder, taking a step forward. Both Santana and Kurt stilled at the sudden outburst. They both knew that Finn was as harmless as a box of sleeping kittens, but he was still the former quarter and a giant of a guy, and could be quite intimidating at times like this. Kurt pursed his lips, waiting for his step-brother to either continue or storm out.

"You can't just say shit like that!" Finn continued, his voice not with a hint of tremor. Kurt's shoulder slumped at the realization of what he had done. He knew how Finn was sensitive about his well-being. Hell, Santana didn't deserve it either, but he was just so angry and tired of all this tip-toeing around.

"And why is that, Finn?" Kurt asked quietly, now feeling too tired to even scream.

"Because it's not going to happen!"

"It's going to happen whether you believe it or not," Kurt whispered before turning on his heels and heading towards his room, leaving two very stunned friends behind. Once he was back on his bed, he wrapped his arms around his knees, curling up into a little ball. He hated it when people acted as if he was made of glass or as if they knew what was best for him. He was sick, but that didn't mean he couldn't make his own decisions and face the consequences. Didn't they understand that he just wanted to enjoy what he had for now?

He didn't even answer when he heard soft knocks on his door.

"Kurt."

_Santana._

"I still think we should all hang out. We want to get to know Adam."

Kurt remained silent, burying his face into his knees.

"I'm coming in," Santana announced before entering, her eyes locked onto her friend uncertainly. "Kurt, I'm sorry."

"...I'm sorry, too..."

Santana sat next to Kurt on the bed and wrapped her arm around him. She placed her head against his slumped shoulder and closed her eyes.

"You know I love you, right?" Santana began, her voice barely above a whisper. Kurt swallowed hard, trying to fight the lump in his throat.

"Yeah..."

"Now call up your lover boy and ask him to join us for dinner tomorrow. At my place."


	10. Chapter 10

Kurt was nervous. He knew Santana and Sebastian would never do anything to purposefully sabotage his relationship with Adam, but he was still feeling quite antsy about the whole situation. They were his best friends, and to them, that gave them free pass to show no mercy when it came to embarrassing Kurt in front of his boyfriend. Adam, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered even in the slightest. He was wearing the same good-natured smile he wore around everywhere and was even humming a tune to himself. Kurt briefly wondered if _anything_ fazed the singer.

Once they were inside, they were greeted by Santana announcing that Sebastian was almost done cooking. The two made their way to greet Sebastian, who was in the middle of adding finishing touches to his special dish. Kurt poked fun at the taller man's apron, which was almost neon pink (it was actually Santana's). Sebastian promised to poison Kurt's dish in response and sent them off to the living room.

"Hey love," Adam began once they were situated on the spacious couch. "You sure you're alright?" the singer whispered against the smaller man's ears. "You look a bit...nervous."

"Yeah. Just...you know. They're a bit crazy. Please don't judge me based on their behavior," he muttered with a playful grin. Santana shot him a mock dirty look before joining Sebastian in the kitchen.

"I think your friends are wonderful for inviting me for dinner."

"Well, I wouldn't let your guard down if I were you."

"You worry too much, darling," Adam began, a light smile playing on his face. He leaned and placed a chaste kiss on the other man's temple and pulled back when he heard a loud snort coming from behind them.

"Seriously, you two? Not on my couch. I'm only interested in lady bits, so keep them in your pants, boys,"Santana quipped, ignoring Kurt's horrified expression. "Anyways, we're almost done so gather around. And please, try to keep the groping to a minimum while at the table."

"Santana!"

"What? You can do all that sexy stuff later."

"Oh my god...Adam, I'm so sorry."

"Can we really do sexy stuff later?" Adam asked with a cheeky grin, earning a smirk from Santana. Kurt smacked him in the arm playfully before getting off the couch.

Santana was glad that the guy wasn't acting like a complete prude or an overly defensive boyfriend, and truth be told, she was starting to like the guy more and more. She was well aware of Adam's celebrity status and had expected him to act like a pompous bastard sooner or later, but so far, he had been acting surprisingly down to Earth. A part of her was annoyed that she had no excuse to force him out of Kurt's life, but a much bigger part of her was glad that Adam was such a keeper. She and Sebastian both knew that Kurt deserved the best.

Of course he still had to undergo much further Lopez-Smythe scrutiny if he was going to pass the test, but for now, he was OK in her book.

The four found themselves at the table. Sebastian had cooked up a five-star quality meal, which was not a surprise for both Santana and Kurt. Adam, on the other hand, was over the moon with the dinner, complimenting the chef at every opportunity. While Sebastian was not fond of any superficial flattery, he grew quite pleased with himself when he saw how genuinely appreciative the singer was of his culinary aptitude. And thank goodness Adam wasn't being a picky eater like most celebrities were.

"So Adam, did you know that Kurt was a Cheerio for a bit?" Sebastian began abruptly. Adam looked up in confusion, his brows furrowed in the most adorable way, as Kurt noticed.

"A _what_? Isn't that a cereal?"

"No, that's Cheerios. He was a cheerleader. There's a video of him dancing during an assembly."

"Sebastian!" Kurt turned to his friend, blushing furiously. He finally registered where the conversation was headed. Yes, there was a time when he rocked the uniform and danced shamelessly besides Mercedes, but he was so not ready to have Adam see that part of his life.

"I have it. I can send it to you. Oh, and the Cheerio uniform is all skin tight and red, and really, once you see Kurt shaking that ass..."

"I hate you," Kurt mumbled into his salad, blushing furiously. Santana pet him on the head affectionately, giving Sebastian a thumbs up.

"You want it?" Sebastian asked Adam, completely ignoring Kurt's plea to stop.

"As if I'd say no to that," Adam answered eagerly, laughing at how Kurt was shooting him a death glare that was not at all intimidating.

"I'll give it to you right after dinner. You'll thank me forever for it."

"Trust me, I'm already there. So you guys all went to high school together?"

"Yup. We became friends through glee club."

"Ah," Adam breathed, turning to look at his boyfriend fondly. "Makes sense."

"What do you mean?" Santana asked suspiciously, taking another forkful of the lasagna.

"Well, Kurt has a wonderful voice. It's incredible, no, _breathtaking_. So I figured he'd be in his school's glee club," Adam answered, oblivious to how the other two had become completely still. Sebastian and Santana exchanged a look of surprise. They knew very well that Kurt had abandoned singing soon after the diagnosis. They were painfully aware of how much their friend missed it, but neither was able to persuade him otherwise. But it seemed like Adam managed somehow. They weren't sure if they were entirely in love with the idea.

"So you've heard him sing," the Latina questioned slowly, glancing taking in Kurt's bashful expression.

"And I hope to hear a lot more," Adam replied, giving Kurt's knee a gentle squeeze. Kurt coughed awkwardly at the touch, still refusing to look at anyone else at the table. Sebastian smiled awkwardly and took a sip of his drink, nudging Santana with his foot to bring her back. Santana flinched and then cleared her throat.

"Crap, let me go get more salad," Santana began, looking at the empty wooden bowl. Kurt put a hand up to stop her.

"No, let me."

"Thanks, lady."

Adam blinked at the odd choice of endearment but didn't comment on it. Kurt stood up, with the empty bowl in his hand and marched straight to the kitchen.

"Did Kurt ever tell you that he went through this phase, and he dated a girl for like a day?" Santana began with an evil smirk, thoroughly enjoying the look of surprise on the singer's face.

"You're kidding."

"Nope. And then I started dating her, which was interesting."

"Oh, I didn't know you were..."

"Mm, most people don't pick it up very quickly. I don't do the butch hair and leather jacket thing."

"So, Sebastian, are you gay as well?"

"I thought I made it quite obvious the last time we saw each other. Don't worry, Kurt and I don't have a history," Sebastian answered smoothly, chuckling when Kurt re-entered with a shake of his head. Judging from his expression, he had heard everything.

"And thank god for that," Kurt muttered, sitting back down.

"Please, I'm a catch, Hummel."

"Sebastian here, is the resident heart-breaker," Kurt informed, taking another serving of the salad. Adam turned to the other man with raised eyebrows.

"It's not really a secret I don't do relationships. They all know what's coming yet they just can't seem to stop."

"You're a friend, but you're terrible."

"You're just bitter because you haven't been on this. It's not too late, Hummel."

"Uh, I'm still here, guys," Adam interrupted, raising a finger up. Kurt grinned and leaned against the other man, wrapping a protective arm around his boyfriend.

"Sharing is caring," Sebastian quipped with a nonchalant shrug.

"First of all," Kurt began, rolling his eyes. "Completely inappropriate. Two, I have standards, Seb."

"What about you, Adam? Interested in some...group activity? I'll make it worth your time."

"Sebastian!" Kurt screeched, pressing his fingers against his temples. "Adam, I'm so sorry." Santana just cackled evilly.

"Thanks for the offer, but my hands are full with this gentleman right here," the singer replied with a grin, pressing a chaste kiss against the top of the smaller man's head.

"That, right there, is the reason why I don't do relationships," Sebastian muttered, his features wrinkling in disgust. Kurt stuck his tongue out and giggled when Adam nipped at his ear playfully.

"What did I say about being gross at the table?" Santana groaned, shooting the couple a warning look.

The four continued with their light bantering and light-hearted conversation. Adam could see how close his boyfriend was with his two friends, and he was very glad that neither Sebastian nor Santana was giving him a hard time. He didn't need to be too observant to see that the two were very protective of Kurt, perhaps more than how most friends were, but he didn't mind it. In fact, it was comforting to know that his boyfriend would be in good hands even if he wasn't in Lima.

They were finished with dessert and clearing the table when it happened. Kurt inhaled sharply and came to a complete halt. There was that familiar sharp sensation in his chest that only meant one thing. He stopped and fumbled towards the kitchen counter to support his weight. He could see Adam in his peripheral, talking to Santana about something. Just as he reached for his chest, forcing himself to inhale and exhale evenly, Sebastian turned around towards him, still laughing at something Santana had said.

Sebastian's grin disappeared immediately, when his eyes landed on Kurt. Kurt stared back at him, his jaws clenched, his brows furrowed,and his eyes wide in pain and panic. Sebastian opened his mouth to call out for his friend, but Kurt shook his head with difficulty, and the taller man knew immediately what it meant.

Sebastian placed the bowl he was holding quietly onto the counter next to him and approached his friend slowly as to not draw any attention, effectively shielding him from Santana and Adam's line of vision. Sebastian swiftly wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulders and pulled him out of the kitchen to enter the nearest room, which happened to be the bathroom.

Shutting the door behind him, Sebastian closed the toilet lid and gently placed Kurt on it. Kurt slouched forward, his breathing laboured and erratic. Sebastian pulled his phone out, ready to dial 911, only to be stopped by Kurt's trembling hand on his wrist.

"Kurt, we have to get you to a hospital."

"N,no..." Kurt whispered. "A,Adam..."

"Like I give a shit! You need to see a doctor!" Sebastian hissed, trying his best to keep his voice down.

"I, I'll be fine..." Kurt continued, his voice slightly stronger. Sebastian kneeled besides his friend, one hand wrapped tightly around his phone, the other drawing a soothing pattern on Kurt's back. He couldn't understand why Kurt was being so stubborn. No, he knew exactly why, but he couldn't accept it. All this, just so his boyfriend wouldn't find out...

"Kurt, let me at least drive you to a hospital," Sebastian pleaded. He whipped around when he heard Santana calling for them.

"N,no."

"Kurt!"

"What the hell are you guys doing in there?" Santana asked by the door, tapping with a foot. Kurt inhaled and exhaled slowly, his breathing becoming increasingly stable with each cycle. Sebastian relaxed visibly at the improvement and cleared his throat, finally focusing on himself to pull himself together. He knew too well that Santana wouldn't be able to react as calmly if she found out. She'd freak out, especially so shortly after the last emergency visit to the hospital, and there would be no keeping Adam in the dark at that point.

"We're having a men's talk," Sebastian, trying to keep his voice playful. Kurt squeezed Sebastian's hand with a forced smile, trying to express his gratitude. Sebastian squeezed back.

"I'm going to release Adam on you two if you don't get your asses out into the living room."

"In a minute!"

Santana rolled her eyes and entered the living room, where Adam was waiting, looking slightly worried.

"Is Kurt alright?" Adam asked carefully, his frown deepening. Santana shrugged and plopped onto the couch.

"Sebastian's probably teaching Kurt some things that might be beneficial for you in the near future."

Adam chuckled lowly and joined her on the furniture.

"You don't seem too worried that your boyfriend is locked up in the bathroom with another guy," Santana began half-jokingly. Adam laughed and was just about to reply, when both Sebastian and Kurt entered the living room.

"...Sweetheart, are you alright?" The singer stood up immediately, noticing how much paler and shake up his boyfriend looked.

"Kurt wasn't ready for the information I was willing to provide for some fun time for the two of you later. Tough luck, superstar," Sebastian interjected, drawing the attention away from his friend. Kurt was very glad for Sebastian's quick thinking and excellent acting, because Adam was laughing again.

0

After dinner, the two found themselves out by the back yard of the Crawfords, lounging on the long garden chairs and staring at the night sky. Adam's parents were out enjoying a movie together, leaving the two to themselves.

"So dinner tomorrow should be fun," Kurt began idly, stretching his arms over his head. Burt and Carole had invited the Crawfords over for a nice family dinner, and Kurt was both excited and nervous about the prospect of having his parents spend time with his boyfriend (even if their relationship was a secret).

"Kurt, can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure."

"Do your parents not know you're gay?"

"What? Of course they do. Let's face it. I make it pretty obvious..."

"Look, love. I don't mean to be pushy and I'm not saying this to pressure you in any way but...is there a reason why you don't want our parents to know? I'm sure they'd be happy for us. My parents adore you, and as for yours, I'm willing to do anything to win their approval."

Kurt winced at the sharp twinge of guilt at the statement. He knew the issue would have to be discussed sooner or later, but he simply didn't have a good story right now. He couldn't tell Adam the truth, that his father would make it his mission to make sure Adam (or any other potential love interest for that matter) to stay out of Kurt's life, and Adam's parents, aware of his condition, will tell their son, and the whole thing would blow over. Kurt couldn't handle that right now. Thing were going to turn from perfect to horrible in before he can say "let me explain," and there would be no salvaging the situation. He just wanted to be able to enjoy what he had now in the short time left for him.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer," Adam continued softly when he saw the troubled expression of his boyfriend. "Just...you're not ashamed of me, are you?"

"You're joking, right?" Kurt replied with a snort. "I should be the one asking you that question."

"Am I ashamed to have an incredibly cute and sexy boyfriend who can sing like an angel and be the only person outside of my family that I can be myself around? The same boyfriend who is the most considerate, caring and sweet person I have ever seen? Did I mention that he dresses like he belongs on the runway? Oh, and he makes the best cookies. Am I ashamed of him? Mmm, no, not really."

"You're impossible!" Kurt giggled at Adam's cheeky grin.

"C'mere." Adam scooted off to the side of the chair and patted the empty space besides him.

"It's sort of small for two people."

"That'd be the point. Now get in here."

"Fine, fine."

Kurt climbed onto the chair besides him, nestling against the bigger man, nuzzling the crook of the singer's neck. Adam draped an around him and pulled him even closer.

"Kurt," Adam began quietly, running his hands up and down Kurt's arm.

"Mm?"

"I got a call earlier from my agent."

"...Oh. Is everything alright?" Kurt asked, looking up at the blonde.

"Everything's fine, but I have to go back to New York in a couple of days."

"Oh..." Kurt tried his best to hide the disappointment. The dread. So this was going to end a lot more quickly than he had anticipated. And it hurt. Kurt kept his lips sealed tightly, not trusting his voice at the moment.

"But I'll be back in two weeks."

"What?" Kurt blinked in surprise at the statement.

"It's just some important meetings I have to attend to apparently. But I told him I'll be continuing with my break as soon as they're finished. So I'm going to have to just hope and pray that some guy doesn't sweep you off your feet while I'm gone," Adam continued in a playful tone. "You better pick up when I call, darlin."

Kurt had to swallow forcefully to fight the lump in his throat. Adam was coming back for him. This was not the way it was supposed to be. And as he lied there, resting his against the other man's shoulder, he was beginning to see how wrong all this was.

He was going to have to fix this.

* * *

**A/N: It's going to get very, VERY angsty from now on**


	11. Chapter 11

_"Your eyes," Adam began, staring into the very depth of Kurt's eyes as they lied alongside each other on Kurt's bed. "They're beautiful."_

_"You've only told me that only about a hundred times," Kurt replied playfully, letting out a soft giggle._

_"It's not just blue and green. There's...hazel? Gold? That too."_

_"I know." Kurt flashed Adam another one of his bright smiles. "I don't know how I got them."_

_"Would it be incredibly cheesy if I told you your eyes twinkle brighter than sapphire, emerald and...I don't know anything in hazel."_

_"Yes, it'd be incredibly cheesy," the smaller man replied in a teasing tone and snuggled closer to the other man. Adam chuckled and draped an arm around his boyfriend._

Kurt stared out the windows of his bedroom, his knees drawn to his chest. It seemed that the more he tried to run away from the memories he shared with Adam, the more vivid they became in his head. He could almost feel Adam's arm against him, keeping his warm and safe.

He knew that Adam must be on the plane by now.

Adam had left for the airport more than an hour ago, and Kurt didn't accompany the Crawfords with the excuse that he had something important to take care of. Adam looked visibly disappointed but didn't push the issue, just telling his boyfriend that he'd be back soon and to wait for him.

Kurt felt terrible. The guilt was eating him away, but he didn't feel that he had any other choice. He had spent the last hour trying to delete Adam's number from his phone but failed miserably. He buried his face into his arms, wishing that he could just stop feeling anything. He already missed Adam and didn't know how he was going to live through the rest of his inevitably short life.

_The soft breeze made him wanting to drift into a peaceful nap. The windows were open, letting the wind blow right through. He had his back against Adam's chest, with Adam leaning against the headboard. _

_Adam entwined their fingers together as Kurt let out a sleepy smile._

_"Adam?"_

_"Mm?"_

_"What would you do if I just...disappeared one day?" Kurt asked quietly, his eyes still closed._

_"I'd find you."_

_"And how do you plan on doing that?"_

_"I'd find a way."_

_"That's a terrible answer," Kurt giggled, enjoying the feeling of Adam's hand on his. "What if you never found me?"_

_"I'd gladly spend the rest of my life getting you back and you, m'dear, should know that by now."_

_"You're impossible," Kurt drawled, letting himself drift in sleep against Adam's warmth. The thing was, he did know. He knew that Adam would do just that, and the thought made him both incredibly heartbroken and happy._

His thoughts were interrupted by rushed footsteps, followed by his door opening roughly. Sebastian was standing in the doorway, looking equally furious as he was annoyed. Kurt had a good idea what was on his friend's mind, but he decidedly ignored the other altogether.

"And may I ask why you're here and not at the airport?" Sebastian growled, his arms crossed in front of him.

"How did you-"

"When are you going to learn that I just know everything. I called him to wish him a safe trip just to find out that you weren't there. Care to explain?"

"I wasn't feeling well."

"I'm sure that's just guilt from lying to your boyfriend and from pulling whatever it is that you're thinking of pulling."

"Just leave me alone, alright?"

"No," Sebastian answered curtly before taking a seat by the bed. "I'm not going anywhere until you explain yourself."

"It's none of your business."

"Oh it is, by association. I know what you're thinking, and I'm telling you to stop. Right now."

"You don't understand."

"No, I don't think _you _understand. I've watched you give up everything since that day, and I've had it with you making yourself miserable! And this is coming from me, Sebastian Smythe, and I don't think I have to remind you that I actually enjoy other people's misery, including those I actually care about. But you? My god, I can't _handle _it anymore. Like, you've surpassed the threshold, and I'm not going to let you go down that road. Again. Now, we can't go back in time and take you to the airport, but you better call him, continue to call him and see him when he comes back and not pull that martyr _bullshit_."

Kurt stared at his friend, mouth agape.

"Do we have an understanding?" Sebastian asked, an eyebrow raised.

"No. No we don't have an understanding! Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I can't make my own decisions! I'm not stupid."

"One, I don't treat you differently because of your condition, because I'm still _very _much willing to slap you across the head. Two, I don't doubt you can make your own decisions, but it doesn't mean they're smart ones, and friends don't let friends make dumbass decisions. Three, you're generally not stupid, but right now, you're definitely going down that road. So will you just snap the fuck out of it?"

"Why are you even doing this! We both know we're never going to find a donor in time, so why are you trying so hard to make this more difficult? I'm done with this, alright? I had my share of fun and that's it. I'm done."

"No you're not. And the next time I see you, you better have your head set on straight," Sebastian growled before pushing himself off the bed and heading straight to the door. "Don't be a moron, Hummel."

Kurt winced at the sound of the door slamming shut. Sebastian was angry. _He_ was angry. And sad, and miserable and just everything. He was starting to regret getting into this situation in the first place. He shouldn't have fallen in love with Adam. Actually, he shouldn't have fallen for anyone. But he did and now he was paying the price.

0

Adam stared at his phone, with what was quickly becoming a permanent frown fixed onto his face. He had made multiple phone calls throughout the day, sent e-mails and texts in between to get absolutely nothing in return. It had been three days already, and he was freaking out. He called Sebastian to ask if anything had happened to his boyfriend, just to hear that Kurt was OK but busy with family matters.

He was growing wary by the minute, and it was starting to show. Both his agent and his manager were not impressed but didn't press the issue, figuring that Adam needed some time to get back to work after the break. Adam wasn't being particularly disagreeable or irritated, but he was getting distracted during meetings, continuously taking a peek at his phone instead of following what others were saying.

It was a good thing that everyone loved him and were willing to be patient with him. It also helped that everyone in the industry had seen a lot worse coming from people a lot less popular, but it didn't stop anyone from making speculations.

Adam's manager Ethan asked him what was wrong, but didn't get any useful response. Ethan knew Adam basically inside and out. Adam didn't brood. He may make jokes about it or get drunk about it and have a laugh, but he simply didn't mope around. Even Hunter asked what the hell was wrong, but didn't get anything other thann "Guess I'm just tired." Hunter didn't buy it for a second, but decided to just keep on eye on him.

"Alright, you're on in five," Ethan announced as he walked into the small room, where Adam was on a standby to go on Ellen. Adam had been vehemently against the idea, arguing that he was technically still on a break and way too distracted to be on National television, but Ethan had pulled out the big puppy dog look, and well, Adam was too much of a softie to refuse. Adam glanced at his phone one last time and sent one more text before heading out.

_I miss you_

He stared at his reflection in the mirror and forced a smile. It wasn't as genuine as he had hoped, but it was plausible, and that's all he needed right now. He didn't understand why Kurt was ignoring him. He didn't want to think that his boyfriend was lying to him, but he couldn't help not buying the whole "too busy" excuse. Had he done something wrong? But he thought they were doing so well...was Kurt disappointed that he had to fly out so soon?

Before he knew it, he was sitting across from Ellen, exchanging light-hearted greetings, and even he himself was surprised with how natural he sounded when he was on auto-pilot. Ellen asked about his upcoming album, tour schedule and all the professional bit, before switching into the more personal details of his life.

"So I hear that you were recently on a break?"

"Yeah, just back to visit the family."

"Oh, so were you in London?"

"No, actually. My parent recently moved to Ohio."

"Ohio! Was that your first time there?"

"I've sort of passed by it during tours, but I guess it was the first time that I actually had the chance to look around the place. Lovely place."

"So you liked it?"

"Absolutely. It's quiet, but I think that's exactly what I needed."

"I bet. I know you've been having a really busy year. Which brings me to the next question. You must be way too busy to date, huh. I'm assuming, because I don't think the paparazzis have ever gotten you with anyone."

The audience laughed as Adam gave her a lop-sided, teasing grin instead of answering.

To the corner of his eyes, he could see Ethan standing with his arms crossed, looking quite pleased with how everything was going.

Adam opened his mouth to answer. To give the answer his manager and agent had basically trained him to fall back to. Then he saw it. Kurt's brilliant eyes watching him, a soft smile playing on his lips. Rationally, Adam knew that Kurt wasn't there, but the image felt so real that he had to blink a few times to make sure.

"True," the singer began slowly. He knew he was probably making a huge mistake, but he couldn't bring himself to actually care. "But I found my special someone a couple of weeks ago," Adam answered uncharacteristically bashfully, his lips stretched into an endearing smile at the very thought of Kurt. The entire studio burst into whispers and speculations with awws and ooohs, and Adam dared a glance at his manager to see that he seemed like he was on the brink of an aneurysm.

This was the first time that Adam had gone off tangent. Adam may be a bit unpredictable in terms of his personal life, but he never did anything unexpected when it came to his job. That was one of the main reasons why everyone in the industry spoke so highly of him in the first place.

Ethan shook his hands in a frantic attempt to make Adam stop, to encourage him to spew some bullshit out about how he was joking, but Adam only looked away. He was going to have to deal with the consequences later, but he wasn't going to deny that he had someone like Kurt in his life. He wasn't going to risk people finding out about Kurt's exact identity and put Kurt through hell, but he wanted Kurt to know that he was in it for the long run.

And a part of him hoped that Kurt would watch the show and perhaps call him back...or forgive him for whatever he had done wrong.

Ellen seemed genuinely surprised at the admission and was watching him with a confused, yet comforting smile on her face.

"Wow, and who's the special lady?"

"Ah, I can't say," he answered honestly, trying his best to ignore how Ethan was frantically typing away on his phone. Probably starting damage control already.

"Can you at least tell us how you two met?"

"Through our parents. They knew each other so we got to hang out and, well, I guess you just know when you meet the one, right?" he turned to Ellen, glad that he was thinking straight enough to leave out any gender specific pronouns. He already sort of felt bad for Ethan and his entire agency having to deal with this. He could save the coming out part for later, after he talked about it with Kurt.

"Oh, I agree. How do you think I got married," Ellen answered playfully. "I think I can hear half the audience crying now that you're taken."

"Sorry ladies!" He apologized playfully at the audience, eliciting giggles.

As soon as the cameras were turned off, Adam was nearly dragged back into the room by Ethan. Ethan looked as if he had just found out that the Apocalypse was due in less than 2 minutes. Adam was almost impressed that Ethan didn't begin screaming at the top of his lungs. Instead, the manager inhaled and exhaled deeply, his hands brought together in front of his nose. As for the singer, he sat still, bracing himself for the lecture.

"Adam? You know we're totally bros and all that, and man, I care about you, so I'm going to ask you this in the calmest manner I possibly can. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? You didn't think to maybe, I dunno, tell me ahead of time before going all public? And ON ELLEN of all the possible shows? Is this why you've been moping around? What the hell's going on?"

Adam waited patiently for his manager to calm down. Ethan let out an incoherent growl, followed by a pitiful groan and a whimper before collapsing onto the chair next to the singer. Adam threw the other man a sympathetic look, suddenly feeling terribly guilty.

"Ethan..."

"I know. Just...I wish you would've told me, you know? I'm your manager, but I was a friend first."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Fuck...they're so going to be on my ass about this, so you at least owe me an explanation. Who is he?" Ethan asked tiredly, being one of the few peoples who knew of Adam's sexuality.

"A guy I met back in Lima."

"Lima?"

"You know, where I went to see my parents?"

"Weren't you there for like...two weeks tops? Jeez man, and you didn't even tell me. I'm glad that at least the paparazzis didn't get to you before you made that public announcement..." Ethan grumbled, still disgruntled. Adam's agent, alongside a string of people, were already filling up his missed call list and inbox with urgent plea for a call back or threats. Lots of threats. Very colorful, vivid and unfortunately also very realistic threats.

"I was careful?" Adam ventured carefully.

"Come on man, don't even."

"Right..."

"Are you going to introduce us or am I going to find out on a cover of some teen gossip magazine?"

"Not sure yet?"

The two sat in silence, only to be interrupted by Ethan's heavy sigh.

"So what's the deal? Is this guy gonna come live with you in New York?"

"I haven't asked him yet."

"And let me guess, you have no intention of retracting your statement."

"None at all."

"And there's no chance that you're going to reconsider your answer?"

"No."

"Not even a tiny, tiny bit?"

"Sorry, no."

"God, I hate you. I hate you so much right now."

"You love me."

"HA. Alright, let's head back. Miranda's been calling non-stop. She's probably going to rip me a new one."

"I doubt I'll be safe for much longer."

0

* * *

**A/N: I don't own Ellen...obviously. I just love that woman. Btw, it's going to get a lot more angsty now. Reviews are always appreciated :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Just a heads up. It gets quite angsty...and I think many of you will strongly NOT like Kurt's behavior.**

* * *

When Sebastian was rudely woken up by his phone ringing, he was quite hellbent on ignoring it. But when he did check his phone and saw it was Santana, he figured he should take it. He wasn't entirely sure what he was listening to when Santana rambled on, in a mixture of English and Spanish, all a high-pitched blur. Sebastian distanced the phone from himself and waited until the noise died down.

"Now, you're going to repeat that, in English, and at half the speed. And you're going to give me an abbreviated version, sweet and concise. Go," Sebastian growled into the phone, his eyes still closed.

"Go to your computer. Right now."

"I _just_ got up."

"Just do it!" Santana's screeching immediately put Sebastian in a worse mood.

"This better be good..." Sebastian grumbled and shifted out of bed. He rubbed his eyes with a sigh as he waited for his laptop to turn on. "Now what," he growled into the phone.

"Youtube. Type in Ellen, Adam Crawford."

"Seriously? You woke me up just to make me watch Kurt's boytoy on Ellen?"

"No you idiot, just watch the damn thing."

"Fine," Sebastian answered and ended the call. He knew Santana was probably going to bitch at him for that, but he didn't need her yabbering into his ears throughout the entire video. Sebastian did as he was told, mostly to get Santana off his back. He was partly listening and partly drifting in and out of sleep, but stopped and stared at the screen as soon as he listened to Adam talk about who was inevitably Kurt.

"Did he just...?" Sebastian began slowly and moved the cursor so that he could go back and listen to the conversation again. Adam just admitted to being in a relationship with Kurt (albeit the being gay part and the fact that it was Kurt were kept hidden), and the comment section was filled with overly obsessive teenage girls threatening to kill whoever this woman was, multiple speculations regarding who the person was definitely a lot of crying and whining

Sebastian closed the video and opened up google and typed in Adam Crawford.

_Shit._

Sebastian's eyes roamed over the headlines. It seemed like the internet community couldn't get enough of this hot piece of gossip. He hadn't realized that Adam Crawford was _this _popular. He felt a headache quickly heading his way, and no amount of ibuprofen was going to help him through this one.

Only a few miles away, his friend was wallowing in misery after basically breaking up with Adam without the other party knowing. Then there was Adam who was telling the entire world that he was still very much in love, and very much in a relationship with his friend, completely oblivious to the significance of the ignored phonecalls and texts. Sebastian had a very difficult time trying to figure out which one of the two was the bigger idiot.

Sebastian cursed under his breath and took a quick shower. He then changed into a pair of jeans and a simple grey tee before grabbing his keys and making his way out the door. It was about high time that he did something about at least one of the two morons.

The Hudmel house was silent save for the soft background noise of the TV in the living room. Sebastian used his spare key to the house to welcome himself in (he had been given one for use in the case of emergencies) and spotted Finn sitting on the couch, a blank stare on his face. It was obvious to Sebastian how much Kurt's resistance to eating or socializing with anyone was taking a toll on the poor guy. Unlike Sebastian or Santana, Finn had absolutely no idea why Kurt was behaving this way and wasn't able to get any useful answer out of the other.

"Hey," Sebastian greeted morosely. Finn jerked forward in surprise, his eyes wide.

"Oh. Hey. Didn't hear you come in."

"Yeah. Just thought I'd drop by. How's Kurt?"

"Not much better," Finn answered quietly, his eyes downcast. "Do you know what's going on with Kurt?" he asked, his voice pleading. Sebastian suppressed a frustrated groan. Yes he did know, and Finn was looking so much like a goddamn kicked puppy that it was hard to lie to his face, but he had promised Kurt to keep it a secret, so really, his hands were tied.

"No, not really," Sebastian managed, his voice strained. He knew he could be a scheming, manipulative and sarcastic, but he hated lying. He preferred to just speak the truth and face the consequences, so he really, _really _didn't want to be doing this right now. Finn let out a heartbreaking sigh and returned to the TV.

Sebastian watched Finn for a couple more seconds before heading upstairs. He didn't even bother knocking before entering.

Kurt looked horrible. There really was no better way to describe it. His already pale face had gotten a shade paler, his cheeks starting to hollow. His eyes were dull, with only emotions remaining being sadness, and it made something in Sebastian twist painfully.

"Kurt, there's something you have to watch," Sebastian began, pulling his phone out. He quickly typed in Ellen, Adam Crawford into youtube and pushed the phone in front of his friend's face. "Seriously, watch it."

As soon as he heard Adam's familiar accent and voice, Kurt's eyes involuntarily moved to the screen, but he shut them immediately as if the very notion of seeing the other man's face was painful for him. Sebastian kept the phone held up anyway, knowing that just listening to it was going to get the message across.

Kurt sat still even when the video was over, and Sebastian almost felt bad. _Almost_. Kurt looked absolutely miserable as he looked out the window, his eyes red and brimming with unshed tears.

"This is ridiculous," Sebastian muttered, raking his fingers through his hair. He was getting sick and tired of all the moping around, especially when it wasn't even as if Adam broke up with Kurt. If the specific episode of the Ellen Show was any indication, Adam wasn't going anywhere.

"Listen up, Hummel," Sebastian growled. "This shit right here needs to stop. You're going to call him back, right now, and talk to him. If you still want to break it off, at least tell him yourself instead of just ignoring him. I get that you don't want to tell him the truth, blah blah, but he at least deserves to know when he's _dumped_, especially when he was willing to talk about you on national television."

Kurt winced at the word "dumped" and dropped his head.

"I can't call him." Kurt's voice was raspy and hoarse. Probably from hours or crying.

"Yes you can, pick up the damn phone and dial his number. I know you haven't deleted it."

"But what if-"

"If you're going to give me the oh, I can't call because then I'll miss him too much and then I won't be able to break it up boohoo bullshit, I will shove you into a box and deliver you to his place, all paid for."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, knowing that was exactly what Kurt had in mind. His friend was now staring at him, his mouth gaping like a goldfish.

"But because I decided to be nice this year, I'm not going to. Not yet anyway, but keep in mind that my resolution is open for amendments, so you better call him as soon as I leave this room. And I _will_ be coming back to check, with Santana next time," Sebastian warned before storming out the door, not forgetting to shoot his friend another pointed look before exiting. Kurt stared at his phone currently lying on his desk.

He wanted to hear Adam's voice again. Listen to the sound of his playful laughs. He wanted to tell Adam that he missed him. He wanted to make plans for when they saw each other again and talk about everything and nothing all through the night. He wanted to cheer his boyfriend on when he was on TV, listen to his albums and tease him about the Ellen Show episode, but he couldn't bring himself to do any of it.

He was taking higher dosage of all his medications. He was growing increasingly tired at an alarming rate. Waking up was hell for him, almost as bad as trying to not think about Adam before falling asleep. Dr. Crawford's smiles were strained when he saw Kurt, and he instinctively knew what it meant. The doctor's usual optimistic words were replaced with warnings and instructions, and as minutes went by, Kurt knew he didn't have much left.

If he was a selfish person by nature, he would have whined and cried for Adam to stay by his side until the very end. He wouldn't even have let the singer leave Lima if he could help it. But no, he simply wasn't that type of person, and he still believed that Adam deserved so much better.

Kurt gingerly inched towards the corner of the bed and set his feet down onto the floor. The carpet beneath felt almost foreign as he pushed himself upwards into a standing position. He took a step forward, and then another, moving closer to the phone that had long been shut off. Kurt picked it up, weighing it in his hand. With shaky hands, he turned it on and suppressed the welling tears as evidence of Adam's desperate attempts to get in contact with him showed up on the screen. He opened the latest one which simply read _I miss you_, and he couldn't do it anymore.

He began texting a reply, writing a word and deleting it, repeating the process over and over again. He managed to type out _I miss_, before he felt the all too familiar tightening in his chest, as if someone was sitting on top of him. He tried to inhale slowly but failed miserably, because he knew that he only had a few seconds before a total black out. He fumbled with the phone, going back to the main screen to dial 911. He managed to touch the green call button, when blackness consumed him.

Finn jumped at the sudden thump resounding throughout the house. It was loud. It sounded like...

Finn pushed himself off the couch immediately, tripping over furniture and slamming against the wall, but that didn't stop him from running up the stairs. He didn't even register the pain, because all he could think about was if Kurt was OK. Finn leaped up the staircase, taking three at a time, not stopping until he was barreling into his step-brother's name calling Kurt's name. His eyes fell on the small figure lying crumpled on the floor.

It made Finn's blood run cold. He stood, completely frozen in panic. He had to remind himself that he needed to move. He had to do something. He had to-

"Kurt! Kurt!" Finn called out a couple more times as he landed on his knees besides Kurt. His hands hovered around the other helplessly for a brief moment before he recalled what he had to do. He just had to do what both Burt and his mother taught him to do in a situation like this. With a determined expression, Finn carefully turned Kurt around onto his back and began to check for signs of breathing. There was something.

Then he registered small noises coming from next to him and spotted Kurt's phone still turned on, a 911 operator's voice flowing through the device. Finn snatched it up immediately and began explaining the situation, stuttering along the way, because really, he felt so light-headed that he was pretty sure that he was going to throw up all over the carpet. His hands were shaking, his eyes continuously darting back and forth between Kurt and the door, as if he was expecting someone to come through and help him any minute now.

Finn wrapped his arms around Kurt and cradled his limp body. He didn't know what else to do.

0

It had been four days since Kurt woke up on the hospital bed.

Dr. Crawford refused to allow Kurt's discharge, claiming that a few more days should be allowed to make sure he was really OK. Kurt had been vehemently against the idea, but no one was willing to listen. Finn was still shaken up and was spending long hours moping around the house. Even when he was in the hospital, he'd stay in the room only for a little bit before walking out the hospital with a vacant expression. Both Burt and Carole were on the brink of a nervous breakdown, doing their best to pretend as if everything was going to be alright.

Santana continued to switch back and forth between cracking jokes at her friend and then going home and crying until she fell asleep. She was behaving especially biting and insulting, but Sebastian was too preoccupied with dealing with his own emotions to pay too much attention.

Sebastian watched his friend's sleeping figure in silence. He was so tired, and not just physical. He felt as if he was also drained emotionally and mentally. The past few days had been nothing short of living in hell, and some days, he found it hard to breathe. Kurt's heart was giving up on him much quicker than he was prepared to face, no matter how much he had braced himself for this.

"Hey."

Sebastian jumped at the sudden voice and turned to face Kurt, who was now staring at him with a weak smile.

"Morning, asshole," Sebastian greeted back with a smirk, putting on his best effort to look as if he wasn't on the brink of a total emotional meltdown.

"That's rich, coming from you."

"You finally beat me at something. Being the biggest fuckin' asshole. Congratulations."

"Ha ha. Where's Santana?"

"She just left to get some stuff."

"You sure she wasn't kicked out for insulting the nurses?" Kurt asked with a lop-sided grin. Santana had become sort of a legend around the hospital, demanding that the nurses give Kurt their undivided attention and threatening them with both physical and mental damage if anything were to happen to her friend. It was both endearing and embarrassing to listen to, but Kurt appreciated her strange show of affection either way.

"Please, as if anyone can get rid of her," Sebastian answered with a roll of his eyes. He then straightened up, bracing himself for the impact as he shared the next piece of information. "Adam's coming back this Friday."

Kurt flinched, but didn't say anything. His smile faltered slowly, and he looked as if he was going to cry any time soon, which made Sebastian wish that he had maybe told him like an hour before the singer's arrival.

"Oh..." Kurt breathed, unblinking.

"And he's going to want to see you."

"Sebastian," Kurt began slowly, his voice eerily calm. "You're right."

"I'm always right, but I'm not sure which you're referring to."

"You said I should make it clear to him."

"I'm not liking where this is going..."

"And you're right. I'm going to see him and tell him in person that we can't see each other anymore."

"Uh, how about no."

"You were the only who suggested it!" Kurt hissed, not liking Sebastian's reaction. He had spent the last four days going over this in his head until it nearly drove him insane, and it had taken so much out of him to come to the conclusion. He just wished that his best friend would be a little bit more supportive of his decision.

"Yeah, but that was supposed to be reverse psychology. You were supposed to think about it and realize you'd rather just stay with Adam and do just that."

"You were trying to trick me into getting back together with Adam?" Kurt hissed, his shoulders tense with rapidly building anger.

"Will you get over youself?" It was Santana by the door, looking just as angry as Kurt. "What did you expect him to do? Hold your hand while you cry and tell me about how much you miss him? Sure, any friend can do that, but Kurt, we're not just _a friend_. We're the kind of friend that actually tries fix shit instead of listening to you cry about it."

"There's no _fixing_ this. Do you not see where we are? I've been in this damn place for 4 days now, I don't even know if I'm going to be discharged anytime soon. And even if I did, then what? I end up here again, longer and longer each time..."

"So you're really going to break up with him. And you honestly expect him to believe you?"

"He will. If I say I'm with Sebastian."

Sebastian blinked and waited for the statement to sink. Of all the stupid thing that have come out of Kurt's mouth... He wasn't even angry. He just laughed. Laughed drily at the absurdity of the idea, ignoring the offended look on his friend's face.

"Wow, good one, Hummel. Really."

"I'm serious."

"And I'm starting to get seriously annoyed."

"Sebastian! What part of all this are you not understanding?" Kurt yelled, now tearful. "I'm going to die and it's already enough that my family, you and Santana have to watch it happen. I'm not letting anyone else go through it!"

Sebastian and Santana stopped and felt as if there was no longer oxygen in the room.

0

"You. WHAT?"

Sebastian groaned at Santana's piercing voice, ridden with accusation.

"I didn't have a choice."

"Let me get this straight. You're actually going to agree to letting Kurt tell Adam that you two are together now?" the Latina asked rhetorically, her shoulders tense from all the pent up anger. "Are you insane?"

"I don't want to do this either."

"Then don't _do_ it."

"Do you think I'd agree to this if I thought I had any other options?"

"This is so fucked up," Santana breathed into her hands as she covered her face with them. "...I can't. I just can't. Wow, I can't."

"You're not the one who has to do it."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Jesus, no I don't want to do this. Of course I don't. But Kurt made me promise as his final wish. What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?"

Santana stilled and nodded, looking even more shell-shocked than before. Sebastian grimaced at his words. _Last wish_. It made him want to punch a hole through a wall.

0


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: GAH! So sorry for the late update! And thank you everyone for all the lovely reviews and support!**

* * *

"Adam, we need to talk," Kurt began slowly, holding his hands tightly together as if to keep himself from wrapping his arms around Adam. The singer's shoulders tensed visibly, and Sebastian didn't blame him. The phrase "we need to talk" never ended well for anyone.

"Sure, do you want to come inside?" Adam asked warily, vaguely pointing at the house behind him. Sebastian glanced at his friend, waiting for some sort of response to go by. When Kurt refused the offer and insisted that they talk outside, Sebastian knew that Kurt wasn't going to go back on his decision. This was it. This was actually going to happen. And he sincerely wished that Santana was standing in his place. If her past behavioral pattern was anything to go by, she was much more prone to angry outbursts of revealing the truth and talking some sense into people (all disguised as a string of insults, of course).

"I found someone else."

Sebastian inhaled sharply at the words and turned to Kurt, who was standing tall, his eyes locked onto Adam. It was as if Kurt had developed a whole new identity just for this occasion.

Kurt wanted so badly to reach out and touch Adam, smile at him and tell him there was no one else in the world but him. Because those were the truths. There could never be anyone else. He couldn't imagine being in love with anyone other than Adam.

But that was the problem. He loved Adam too much. He couldn't prevent his family from finding out, as long as they lived together, and Sebastian and Santana had pried into his life to the point where knowing about his condition had become inevitable. But that's where he had to draw the line. He couldn't put Adam through this. Not when Adam had so much to look forward to.

Adam was a world-famous singer. He had years of success and fame ahead of him. He had an image to upkeep, and unlike him, Adam could meet anyone he wanted and be happy. Kurt may have started off wanting this just as badly, but he wasn't capable of being downright selfish.

"You...found someone," Adam began slowly, after about a minute of standing completely still, barely blinking. "I don't follow..." he faltered, glancing at Sebastian as if to get some sort of an explanation.

"Adam, I need someone who can always be here with me, and...well, Sebastian and I are together."

Sebastian felt ill. This was wrong. All wrong, on so many levels. Would it be too late to just step in and put a stop to all this? Would Kurt hate him or appreciate it in the end? Was it even his decision to make or did he even care at this point?

"...What?" Adam breathed, looking back and forth between Sebastian and Kurt, waiting for one of them to start laughing and say "Just kidding!" but none came. He watched in silence as Kurt linked his arm around Sebastian.

"I'm sorry. I was going to tell you, but I ended up avoiding your calls and texts. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," Kurt continued, ignoring the blank expression on the other man's face. "Look, Adam. You're a celebrity, and yeah, what we had was great, but let's be real. It was never going to work out."

"Tell me you mean this," Adam finally replied, taking a cautious step forward. Kurt felt as if Adam's eyes were boring a permanent impression on his souls.

"Adam. It's over. I just thought I should tell you in person. Good bye."

Kurt turned around abruptly, and Sebastian didn't miss the pained expression on his friend. He briskly made his way towards the car, his arm wrapped tightly around Kurt. He was at a breaking point as well, which meant he had to leave the driveway as soon as possible. As Sebastian rushed away from the house, he made the mistake of glancing at the side mirror and seeing Adam's face. It was the same one Kurt was wearing, and it made him want everything to just stop.

0

Something wasn't right.

Sebastian placed his hands together, palm to palm, and pressed them against his nose and mouth.

Something was definitely not right.

He had pictured how the entire thing would play out in his head. He was prepared to handle the questioning, begging and even crying, but none of it happened. Adam didn't even make an effort to stop Kurt or demand a proper explanation. And it didn't make any sense. He didn't want to think that he had been wrong about Adam. The man was madly in love with his friend, and there was no way that it was all an act. So what was it then?

Things only got weirder a few hours later.

He received a text from Adam, asking to see him in person, without Kurt. Sebastian wasn't too worried about Adam coming after him with a knife (that just wasn't him), but he was worried about having to come up with a plausible excuse for how all this happened. He contemplated notifying Kurt but gave up after realizing that Kurt had his phone turned off.

He wondered if he should just ignore the message but decided against it. Adam was going through enough as it was. There was no need to add to the problem, even if that used to be one of his favorite hobbies.

Sebastian sat by the bench, having arrived early. He didn't know why he did that, because now his brain was working overtime, coming up with possible scenarios for how the meeting was going to go down. It ranged from anything between Adam crying and begging for him to let Kurt go or Adam shooting him point blank in the face (his brain had surpassed all rational thinking process at this point).

Adam arrived with a minute left to spare, looking as if half of his soul had been sucked right out of him overnight. Sebastian wondered how long the singer was planning on sticking around now that Kurt had basically broken everything off with him.

"Hey," Adam greeted, surprisingly cordially, even forcing a smile that actually made Sebastian wish that Adam would punch him and get it over with.

"Hey."

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah...I figured. Wanna sit?"

"Sure."

They sat side by side, and Sebastian wished that Adam would just say something so he could go home. He wasn't sure if he could endure it till the very end without just snapping and telling Adam everything.

"I know."

Sebastian turned to Adam in confusion. Of all the things to come out of the other man's mouth...He wasn't expecting those two simple words. _What _did he know?

"What?"

"I know you aren't with Kurt."

Sebastian stilled in surprise. So he wasn't wrong about Adam afterall. He opened his mouth to deny the claim, for the sake of his friendship with Kurt, but stopped himself. It was useless. Adam wasn't an idiot, and he was tired of this pointless charade.

"Then why did you let Kurt go?"

Adam let out a strained laugh, his lips curved into a heartbreaking smile.

"Because he wanted me to."

"...Because he..." Sebastian began and paused, taking in how Adam was now staring at his own hands resting on his knees. "Because he wanted you to? What kind of bullshit answer is that?" Sebastian snapped, a sudden shot of anger running through him.

"I wanted to ask...if you can tell me why he wants me to."

"What difference is it going to make? Clearly, you're not going to go after him."

"I never said that."

"...What?"

"I never said I was going to give up on him."

Sebastian fixed the singer a hard look, silently demanding an explanation.

"I'll always give Kurt what he wants, and right now, he needs me to stay away from him."

"And what makes you think that he's going to change his mind?"

"I just know."

"I sincerely hope you're listening to yourself."

"So can you tell me the reason?"

Sebastian could see the determination in Adam's eyes. There was still lingering sadness and confusion, residual hurt in the blue pools, but most of it was replaced with unquestionable faith he had in what he and Kurt shared. And when Adam smiled ever so softly, Sebastian couldn't handle it anymore.

"Fine. And just a head's up, you don't have much time to spare if you're going to get him back."

0

"This is for you," Sebastian muttered, pushing a small box towards Kurt.

"What is it?"

"Not sure. It's from Adam."

"I don't want it then."

"Bullshit. Don't be such a fuckin' drama queen and just take the damn box. Anyways, I'm off."

Kurt only nodded in response, running his fingers across the box now in his hand.

"And Kurt? It's not too late to call him and change things around."

Kurt watched the door close behind his friend and turned back to the object in his hands. It was a small white box, lined in gold around the middle. He wasn't sure if he should dare to look inside, but he figured he could let himself keep the one thing other than the copy of the recording they've done together. He gently pulled the box open and gasped when he saw a velvet box lying inside. It was so painfully obvious what it was, that his eyes began to sting again.

He took the velvet box out and opened it, revealing a simple, platinum band with a thin stripe of emerald, sapphire and tourmaline aligned next to each other, perpendicular to the ring itself. As soon as he saw the colors, he couldn't hold the tears back anymore.

They were the very stones that Adam would often compare Kurt's eyes to.

0

Adam couldn't bring himself to return home even after Sebastian was long gone.

So he continued to sit on the bench, oblivious to how people were beginning to notice him. The whispers, fingers pointed at him, and pictures being taken were dead to him as he sat there, replaying the words over and over again in his head.

Kurt was dying. He had less than a year left, according to the doctor's most optimistic estimates. Kurt was dying. His heart was giving up on him.

When it hit, everything hit all at once. The confusion, the anger, the desperation and the prevailing sense of hopelessness all flooded in at once, blinding him. It hurt. It hurt so badly, knowing that the person he loved had been counting the days when he had been so oblivious to everything and going about doing his work. He was attending meetings, spending time with people who didn't even mean much to him in the first place, scribbling lyrics down and strumming his guitar...when he could've been by Kurt's side, where he belonged.

Everything in his life seemed so insignificant now. He promised Sebastian to give Kurt one day. Just one more day and he was never going to leave Kurt again.

Needless to say, he spent the entire night tossing and turning in bed, practicing more self control than he thought possible to keep himself from running out the house and driving straight to see Kurt. When the Sun was up again, Adam was up as well, unsure of what to do with himself.

He was on his way to the kitchen when his phone began ringing. He had specifically told his agent and manager to not call him for the duration of his visit to Lima unless it was a complete, total emergency (not that any emergency was going to matter now), so he was ready to ignore it unless it was, of course, Kurt.

He stopped midstep when he saw Sebastian's name.

While he wasn't exactly a psychic, he instinctively knew something was wrong. He picked it up immediately, willing his heart to stop beating so loudly in his head. He wasn't entirely sure that he'd be able to hear Sebastian's voice over the deafening sound.

"Sebastian?"

"Kurt's in the hospital."

Adam felt his blood run cold, prickling his veins and scraping against even inch of his insides.

0

Adam ignored the nurse's demand to not run in the hospital.

It was as if he couldn't propel himself forward quickly enough. So he ran and ran, sprinted through the hallway, turning sharp corners and barely avoiding crashing right into a patient on a wheelchair. He wished he knew his way around so that he didn't have to waste precious time making wrong turns.

He came to a halt only when he spotted Santana and Sebastian standing in the hallway, both looking like they had just lost the last of their willpower to go on.

"Where is he?" Adam asked hoarsely between strained gasping for breath.

"He's in here," Sebastian began and put his hand out to stop the singer from barging into the room. "You can't go in right now."

"Why not?"

"...The doctor and the nurses are with him."

"What's going on!" Adam demanded, in a voice that was uncharacteristically harsh.

"They're stabilizing him."

"Why? What happened?"

"Stop! Just shut up, both of you!" Santana screeched, her eyes red and swollen from all the crying and furious rubbing. "Just shut the fuck up..." she continued in a strangled voice, dropping onto her knees, her palms pressed against her eyes.

Sebastian pursed his lips and turned on his heels to face the wall behind him. Adam stood still, his hands lying limp to his sides. He had so many questions. He wanted so badly to just march right in and see Kurt for himself. He wanted to get some answers from the doctor. But ultimately, he just really wanted to see Kurt in the flesh with his very own eyes.

All three of them zoomed towards the sound of a nurse walking out of Kurt's room. Santana pulled herself upright, her eyes almost frantic. Adam took a step forward, ready to ask if Kurt was alright when he saw the familiar face of his father.

His father was walking out of Kurt's room. Wearing a hospital gown.

His father.

"...Dad...?" Adam began slowly, his own voice sounding distant. The moment was so surreal that he began to see things in slow motion, in painful detail. He could see how his father was staring back at him, equally, if not more, shocked at seeing his son standing in the hallway, looking just as devastated and fragile as Kurt's two friends. It wasn't unreasonable to find his son there, considering that Kurt and he had become acquainted over the course of the two weeks spent living together. What he had a difficult time understand that was how crushed he looked. Had the two become _that _close?

"...Adam? What are you..."

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Adam began and squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment before continuing. "Nevermind. I..is that Kurt in there?"

"How did..oh, right, yes he is."

"Is he alright?"

"We've managed to stabilize him. He needs rest, so only immediate family is allowed to stay."

"What about-"

"His parents are in there with him."

"Dad...you knew about this, all along..."

Dr. Crawford stilled and signaled for the nurses to give him some space. The two nurses nodded curtly before heading down the corridor. Sebastian and Santana exchanged a brief look before retreating as well, quietly announcing that they'd be back in a few.

"Dad, why didn't you tell me?"

"You know very well that I adhere strictly to doctor-patient confidentiality. Now what is this really about, Adam? What's going on?"

Adam looked away, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by everything that had befallen onto him over the course of less than 24 hours. His father was Kurt's doctor. His father had known all along. It hurt to realize that he was the only one who had been kept out of the loop. He had been such an idiot, completely oblivious to everyone's pain.

"Dad...I..."

The words refused to come out easily.

"Adam."

"Dad, I'm in love with him."

"...What?"

"Kurt and I are together. I mean, we sort of are, and oh God, what's happening...I can't...You knew. Dad! You knew!" Adam ran his fingers through his hair, now pacing around space surrounding his father.

"How long has this been going on for!" Dr. Crawford demanded. There wasn't anger in his voice, but there was definitely something forceful enough to make Adam stop.

"Dad, I need to see him," Adam pleaded, already heading towards the door. His father stepped in, effectively blocking his path.

"Dad!"

"No! And we're going to have a talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about! I need to see him!"

"What the hell's goin' on out here?"

The two Crawfords turned towards the third voice and came face to face with one worn-out Burt Hummel watching the other two with a confused yet stern stare.

0


End file.
